A Betrayed Fate
by caughtidlehanded
Summary: Love can't be forced. In the case of Hermione and Draco it isn't even an option. But with embarassing spells, backstabbing friends, proposals, and accusations going around emotions are running high and the concept of love is becoming more skewed than ever
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: For The Worst

Sometimes people have secrets. The kind of secrets that eat away at you, slowly, from the inside. The secrets that make you suspicious of an innocent glance. That make your breath quicken at a harmless comment. That make your blood feel thicker as it flows through your veins, fearful that it will flow out of your body with the tell tale color of blue blood. These secrets make you ashamed, scared, and apprehensive. All at the same time. Never-ceasing. It can cause a person to loose control, to accidentally crack and reveal the one thing they have been trying so hard to hide. I had never cracked, never lost my composure, I had never told.

But as I sat silently, head between my knees, hoping I could stay locked up in the train compartment forever, I knew my deception was over. I had hoped I could stay Hermione Granger for the rest of my life, I couldn't see myself in any other way. But it was over, all over.

It had all started with my parents. It seemed the sins of the father do fall down the family tree. My parents, the ones that weren't over-protective dentists who always wished the best for their daughter, were death eaters. Muggle-born haters, killers of the flesh, torturers, criminals, low-lives. Or if you asked a Slytherin: blue bloods, geniuses, wizarding legends, martyrs. Dying for their cause, dying for their Lord. Dead.

Hermione Granger was their legacy. Hermione _D'jore_ was their legacy. I was the sole heir to the money, prestige, success. Bushy haired, buck-toothed, know-it-all? It had been hard to look in the mirror and be content with my less than charming appearance. But I had managed-because I had been happy. Mudblood or not I had held in my hands everything I wanted and I hadn't needed any dirty money or dirty connections to get me there. Now, however, my image was slightly changed. I had all the gleaming traits of the pureblood D'jore family line: blue eyes, black straight shining hair, translucent skin, things that made me pretty or if you were being particularly flattering beautiful.

It had been a spell that had kept me wrapped up in a cocoon of adolescent horridness once described as "the most atrocious thing I've ever laid eyes on" but then again Slytherins were always a bit dramatic. My beloved Uncle had cast the charm. With a swish and a slight change in the wind Damien Zabini, my teacher and protector had altered me for what I had assumed would be forever or at least until I had graduated with honors from Hogwarts. He had prepared me for everything the wizarding world had to offer before I had ever dreamed of sorting hats and a boy named Harry Potter. Had changed me, for the better he said, had given me to a muggle family, a better family, a safer family. All for the better.

I had grown up thinking I was a normal girl. Forgotten about my fantasy land of wands and spells for a time. I then grew up like a muggle, gone to Hogwarts as a muggleborn, made friends as a mudblood. I remembered my secret as a know-it-all does. I kept the letter my Uncle gave me in my pocket as constant reminder, it wouldn't last, but I had kept my secret. I couldn't tell.

It was all a bit confusing. Being a mudblood, but being a pureblood. Letting people taunt me for an undignified birth but knowing my blood line was purer than the Parkinsons and of course the Malfoys. Knowing I had an inheritance to count on but constantly broke with only a few muggle dollars to exchange for galleons. Knowing one day that Hermione Granger would be no more, knowing this day would come.

As I sat there, alone, I didn't feel like myself. I didn't feel my bushy hair fan my face or my brown eyes stare back at me in the window's reflection. I saw the grown-up version of me as a small girl, a larger version of a vague memory of myself. But I hardly saw _me_. It was an identity crisis for the ages that I had no time to figure out. The fact that I had changed back meant something, I just didn't know what.

While I sat there, trying to clear my head, the door burst open accompanied by Draco Malfoy. Despite the fact that I was a pureblood, a supposed comrade to his family, I detested the boy more than words can describe. Although, I had tried numerous times.

He stood in the entrance, looking as intimidating as ever, and upon seeing me gave a small smile. A smile that made me shiver slightly, making me yearn for his familiar smirk. I quickly grew wary as he took a seat next to me and extended his pale hand, "I don't think we've met." his hand stood in mid-air, "Draco Malfoy." I could see the infamous Malfoy had not changed much from last year, he still had the eerily pale skin, overly expensive dress robes, and aura of arrogance about him.

"We've met." I responded coldly, not in the mood for dealing with Draco Malfoy despite the praise he often received from my Uncle. He was still a self-involved prat with an ego complex yet to be addressed. The memories that surfaced upon the mention of his name, made a glare grace my features, and I knew Malfoy was a bit more than put off at this point.

Malfoy stared back at me saying nothing and I couldn't help but feel a bit flush due to his rudely unwavering gaze. I broke eye contact and left his hand dangling as if diseased, "I would think it wasn't pleasant." replied Malfoy.

I let a moment pass, wishing for his disappearance. "Malfoy, I would appreciate it if you just left me alone, I have head duties to attend to." I glared at him again for good measure but he seemed again unaffected.

He was undeterred of course and continued to sit across from me gaining more confidence by the second, "I just happen to be Head Boy." Malfoy said with the smirk that seconds ago I had longed for. My hand itched to smack that lovely expression off his pristinely pointed face as I stared open-mouthed. The news couldn't possibly be true because I knew there was no way that I could sanely work with Draco Malfoy. I was edging on insane without his help.

"Funny how things work out." _Hilarious._

I continued to ignore him once again, laying my severely exasperated head against the seat. His mere presence was exhausting. I thought the ensuing silence would get him to leave, but that would have been too easy.

"Look." He started in a sincere tone, touching the small of my back which I raised an eyebrow at and swatted away, "I'm sorry for never owling you but I've been going through some things, and I thought it best that we didn't get involved-seriously I mean."

I let myself take a moment to puzzle over his words. He couldn't of course be inferring what I thought he was…that I would ever…No, of course not. "Malfoy, what the _bloody hell_ are you going on about?"

"Well," he whispered, "The whole…_one night stand_…." My mouth definitely hung open at this point, "It's _really _not my style." That was rich.

I sat bolt upright then, my energy rejuvenated if only to defend my honor, "I have never!" I began with an indignant huff, "In my whole entire life, nor will I ever in my whole entire life, shag _you of all people_, Draco Malfoy. _Ever_." With that I stood up, taking a seat across the compartment, as far away as humanly possible.

"Oh." I saw no signs of embarrassment and tried to pretend that I had not just been accused of sleeping with Malfoy. It was remarkable, the effect a small change in appearance can make upon a hormonal boys mindset. I obviously now looked like the type of girl up for a quick shag. Disgusting.

"_Ohhhh_…" he said seeming to have a sudden epiphany, "I know it might be intimidating working with someone from a prestigious family such as mine but really there is no need to be apprehensive about it." I could just hear in his condescending tone that he actually believed the words that were coming out of his mouth. No, he hadn't changed one conceited iota from last year.

"Malfoy. Your heritage is nothing to be proud of, its disgraceful and you actually believing that your supposed 'prestige' is why I don't want to work with you is damn near pitiable." I said as way of answer, feeling suddenly nostalgic as I began to tell off my oldest enemy. I didn't get the same satisification that I usually would.

"Such sarcasm isn't good for your health."

"I'm not being sarcastic."

"You shouldn't be so pissed off, mudblood, that's what you are, aren't you?" I got up to leave then when he took hold of my arm, "Hit a nerve, did I." I wrangled my hand out of his grasp and glared.

"Don't _touch_ me." I growled. He just smirked standing there as if he hadn't heard what I said. So I stepped closer to make my point clear looking into his eyes for emphasis, "Don't tempt me Malfoy, I'm inches away from marring that pretty face of yours. A curse, anything to make you hurt really, I'm more than willing to attempt anything that causes you bodily harm. " Quite a threat, but I felt capable of living up to it. I certainly had the initiative.

"I'd like to see you try." He shot back hotly, so I did. In one motion I had raised my hand and slapped him. It was almost gratifying as I reminisced back to a similar moment in third year but this time I felt the fear that comes with hitting a boy-man- no definitely a boy twice your size. But my anger quickly pushed that fear out of my mind as I stalked to the door.

"…And I'm _not_ a mudblood!" I hissed, "I'm a pureblood, and the name is D'jore, you irreparable prat!" with that said I stomped out of the compartment in search of my oldest Gryffindor friends, built up with a suppressed rage. As I entered our usual compartment they all looked up at me surprised at my abrupt and flustered entrance.

"Malfoy is a git." I said stonily taking a seat, my hands shaking slightly in anger and disgust. Ginerva Weasley and Harry Potter who had been staring at opposite ends of the compartment, glanced quickly at each other in a moment of shared amusement before seeming to remember something and looking away again while Ronald Weasley gave an expected response of "see we aren't the only ones" and that's when I remembered that they didn't have a clue who I was. At least not in my current appearance.

I blushed and attempted to explain, "Well…," the words that wanted to stream out of my mouth, rehearsed as they were would undoubtedly sound insane once spoken. I had prepared a speech of sorts for my friends, to explain to them why I looked like this, why I had lied for so long, and why I had never told them.

"You probably think I'm a bit mad for just stomping in here with no invitation and then exclaiming something like this… but I have a valid explanation and it will probably shock you a bit but..." Here I stopped and took a big breath trying to image their reactions before finally just saying it, "It's me, Hermione." I took a breath readying myself for their reaction. Silence followed.

Ron was the first to speak, "Hermione _Granger_? Best witch in our year, incessantly talking about studies and the adverse affects of foul language?"

Harry's snicker followed, "The one who doesn't bother to comb her hair in the morning because she has already pronounced it a lost cause.

Ginny added, "You don't look a bit like her, Ms. D'jore is it? Perhaps you'd like to prank some Gryffindors a bit less gullible or maybe you'd like a curse to send you on your way. I would be more than happy to oblige."

"Well yes and well no" I gave Ginny a stern glance, "I'm actually Hermione…just Hermione D'jore."

I heard Ron whisper quietly to Harry something that made my body tremble with built up anticipation. I prepared myself to give a very long and detailed explanation, silently hoping for the best but preparing, as was my nature whether I was Granger or not, for the worst.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Dirty Secrets

I had always known how to deal with the X chromosome of the wizarding population. Small girls, cute with their Sunday dresses and constant need for attention, their older sisters and their constant need to fit in, and of course their abandoned mothers looking for another wayward boy to fix and chastise. I was more than adept at dealing with girls of interest to me especially, a few charming words followed by a few magic ones and they were putty in your hand. Not just anyone's hands of course, this process would only work if you were a Malfoy, Draco Malfoy to be exact.

Of course there were the chosen few, the rebellious ones that refused to be charmed. The bright red slap mark that graced my face was enough evidence that exceptions existed. D'jore, not an exceptionally original exception but one that would become more than common by the end of the year. It had taken me a moment to recognize the name after it had been uttered, but now alone in the compartment my mind was clear enough to realize what the name meant. It meant a lot.

I walked out of the room slightly dazed as I contemplated D'jore, one of the obvious self-righteous Gryffindors, and her deep dark secret. It would only be a matter of time, minutes, hours, days, months before the secret would be out and no one would laugh louder than me when that time came. I arrived at the Slytherin compartment, opening the door to find Pansy, Blaise, Crabbe, and Goyle. I took a seat beside Pansy and her green eyes drilled into mine and I could only guess what smarmy comment was to follow.

"Back so soon?" she asked with a sugar coated smile and a look of fake concern, "You seem a bit miffed…Did you not find what you wanted? Or did you and there was no changing her mind...?"

Comments like these were the usual from Pansy Parkinson, one of my many ex-girlfriends. Despite her facade of dislike for me, she had become one of my few best friends after the "incident" as she had coined our brief dating experience.

"First of all, I did find what I wanted. And she was unwilling, as unnatural as that sounds, but unfortunately for her, her opinion doesn't matter." I finished and they rolled their eyes and I said nothing more. Of course Slytherins were way too proud to pry in their best friends personal lives. It was the way we had all been raised and which was why the Slytherin House was always filled with people and their dirty little secrets. None as dirty as D'jore's of course.

"What a nice story." Blaise cut in, "If I may offer my own…You wouldn't guess who has finally decided to grace Hogwarts with their presence after years of continued absence from Zabini association."

He received a series of blank stares in response, Slytherins never had much patience for guessing games.

"My mysterious cousin, the brilliant one that my father raves about, is finally coming out of hiding. I am to deliver a letter to her, like a bloody common owl. How delightful her visit is." Blaise had always been a bit sensitive when it came to his father, a man who rarely gave out praise, and if he did never to his son.

He rested his head on Pansy's lap, she stared down at him with a look of disgust on her face. Obviously torn between throwing him head first onto the floor and showing a bit of compassion and letting his overly handsome Italian face rest for a moment. A thump was then heard followed by a groan of pain, her mental dilemma answered. At that precise moment, as Blaise lay slightly injured on the floor, Pansy stood powerfully above him, I stared at the both of them in amusement, and Crabbe and Goyle stared off into space the door creaked open and we all looked up with obvious surprise.

My surprise to see D'jore. Blaise to see his cousin. Pansy, Crabbe, and Goyle to see any one that was a non Slytherin.

D'jore stood there, already in her school robes, with her blue eyes taking on an unattractive red and puffy look as I wondered if I had done this to her. This would mean she was more emotionally unstable than I had already presumed, or if something else had happened between our encounter a short while ago and now, she was just a girl thriving for drama. At that moment I couldn't decide which one was worse. She looked a bit confused as to where she was as she stood awkwardly in the doorway and we all stared at her until Pansy rudely asked, "Do you need something?"

"Right." she said with a sheepish smile, one that had not graced her features during our encounter, and which made Pansy roll her eyes, "I need to talk to Zabini." Blaise looked a little annoyed but got up off the ground and looked at her expectantly.

That was when they all noticed her Gryffindor badge that declared her Head Girl. Pansy straightened slightly but seemed unaffected by her earlier remark, we had always taunted Gryffindors before, now one was Head Girl but that didn't mean we were suddenly going to stop being Slytherins.

"Maybe I need to be more specific." She replied seeming to gather up all her courage and actually sound condescending or at least the Gryffindor version of condescension, "I need to speak to you _alone_."

"That isn't quite possible, dear cousin, it's rude to keep secrets in mixed company. A brilliant witch like you is sure to know that." Blaise was taking out all of his childish anger on his unknowing cousin, I of course was slightly amused how the situation had worked out to my advantage. She needed to learn her place eventually after all.

"Give me the letter, you wanker." D'jore said with a sudden burst of anger, another example of the learning yet to be accomplished.

"Tsk, tsk. We do need to work on your manners. Let's start with my name, shall we. I'm Blaise…and you are?" I couldn't help be thankful at this point that Blaise Zabini was my best mate.

She stared, "Give me the letter." A nervous twitch seemed to overtake her as she tapped her foot rapidly against the floor.

'Name, cousin dear?"

She glared hopelessly at Blaise before succumbing to another angry outburst, "It's Hermione, you worthless excuse of wizarding talent, that mud blood you lot used to taunt so fondly. The girl you considered beneath you, actually related to the _self-righteous, good for nothing, BLAISE ZABINI_! But I am a pureblood so that should satisfy you enough that you don't go snickering over the fact that I had the audacity to stand up here and talk to you as if I was equal to you or something. As preposterous as that sounds."

I sat down abruptly then, unable to believe my ears. Granger? The moment seemed to stretch out before me, its significance becoming more apparent by the second. The girl who harbored the dirty secret was Granger. I took a deep calming, manly breath. But the facts still stared me in the face. I was betrothed to Hermione Granger. I had spent most of my years at Hogwarts tormenting her, ruthlessly. For good reason of course, Granger was obscenely annoying, a total know it all, and in no way, shape, or form did she have any physically redeeming qualities.

Sure, she didn't look the same, sure her blood was as pure as mine, but up-herself, know-it-all, Potter worshipping Hermione Granger? I was destined to live out the rest of my days with that muggle-loving witch!?

Her dirty little secret was just as much mine now. I had expected finding out the identity of my betrothed to be tinted with some kind of awkward happiness. But this was just too much, it didn't make any sense. What were the odds that of all the people in the wizarding world, the one girl who I loathed the most in the world would be the one I would be forced to marry. Hermione Granger, I looked at her face huffing and puffing as it was, she was a beautiful girl now, full of pureblood traits. But I knew inside that magically engineered shell she was as much a Gryffindor as ever. She would want me to change my ways, try to make me a better person. But I was a Slytherin through and through and no meddling, loon of a woman would change that. I had been looking forward to telling the world that a beautiful Gryffindor witch would suddenly be my obedient wife, subject to my every whim. But I would never mention Granger and myself in the same sentence unless I wanted to commit social suicide.

I took a calming breath as I reviewed the facts. A calming breath as I tried to stay conscious. A calming breath so I wouldn't get sent to St. Mungos, the psychiatric ward seemed to beckon me closer.

I'm betrothed to Hermione D'jore formally Granger and she obviously has no clue. I have to live with Granger for the rest of my life. I felt my knees shake beneath me and bile rise in my throat as I closed my eyes for the evident headache this was going to cause me. Married to Granger, there was NO way. The last coherent thought that passed through my head was I was going to kill my father for doing this.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: The Bright Side

Ronald Weasley was staring at me blankly. Now this wasn't a particularly new expression of his, if anything it was one of the only reactions I expected. But the others stares, that was a bit more unsettling. My secret was out finally, I had expected some sort of sigh of relief to escape my mouth by the end of my tale of mudblood secrecy but my expression was tight lipped and it seemed I couldn't unclench my hands.

"So you're saying," he proclaimed for the fourth time, "That you're Hermione, only you're not cause you're a pureblood, but you had to go in disguise because your parents were you-know-who supporters."

"Yes, Ronald, they were Voldemort _supporters_. Are you quite finished?"

"Well, _Hermione_, it's a big thing to wrap your head around. We're not all as brilliant as you, so it might be a bit far-fetched for us to believe that you're actually a pureblood pretending to be mudblood so that your evil parents bent on world domination can…I still don't completely understand it all." He stated indignantly with an annoyed look towards Harry.

I felt hopeless. No one seemed to be very accepting of the idea. I had gotten no cries of indignation or moments of comfort. It was almost as if they were a bit bored with the issue, as if it didn't matter at this point. The secret that had changed my entire life and my friends couldn't care less. It had only taken me seventeen years to get this off my chest and apparently my friends had no opinion on the matter.

"So, how did your parents die again?" asked Ron still seeming a bit skeptical and more than a bit unfeeling. It was so like him to ask questions that weren't really relevant to the current situation but yet were still uncomfortable to discuss.

"Aurors." I stated simply not wanting to delve further into the topic, "Unless you want a blow by blow account of the spells that were used to kill them?" He seemed to actually contemplate for a second before shaking his head.

"They deserved it obviously." It was Harry. Harry Potter, a boy I had comforted through all his moody boyhood stages, was giving me a look that made me feel as if I didn't know him at all. I just wanted to cry. I felt so lost, friendless, I didn't understand why I felt like my friends were deserting me. But the feeling wasn't fading.

"They didn't deserve to die." I said, suddenly furious. His parent's had been killed by death eaters but it didn't hurt any less when your parents were on the other side, "No one deserves to die."

I began to panic then, a sudden anxiety overtaking my whole body. A number of what if's spread through my mind as I glanced from face to face. I wondered if maybe the sticking through thick and thin only applied when fighting against death eaters and not accepting the daughter of one.

"Why did they put an illusion charm on you? It couldn't be for protection, they would have just used a protection spell, they wouldn't need to change your appearance for that." said Ginny, my sole supporter, it seemed that I had already won her over. Hopefully. It was hard to tell, she hadn't made any negative comments which was a good sign.

I stopped at that question. _Why did they put the illusion charm on me? _Of all the questions that I had asked in my life I couldn't believe that I had neglected to contemplate such an important one. I had never considered questioning the purpose of the charm, it had always just been a part of me, but now that it was gone...

"I…" I stopped unsure how to continue, "don't" again I paused as dread seemed to overcome my body, "quite know. I mean bloody hell, that's an important....well I think I should have been informed. And he never told me. Didn't think to ask. I mean I've been quite…oh god no. Bloody hell. That wanker!" I said softly as at my statement Ron had jumped up. His blue eyes now entirely disbelieving.

"Hermione would never say 'bloody' she says that it's…it's roguish. You're some sort of loon, an imposter!" he accused with a pointed finger, "besides Hermione couldn't be _that pretty!_" he said in a lower tone to his sister while surveying me, Ginny smacked him across the head as I fumed. The nerve of Ron!

"Hermione was a really valuable friend to us through the years." said Harry thoughtfully almost as if he wasn't speaking to the person sitting in front of him. "She was truly loyal and I was glad to have her-you, by my side through the tough parts but times have changed. You're not the same Hermione that we knew, you're a pureblood, with parents that helped plot the murder of my own parents. And as much as I wish this weren't true, I think it would be safest if you stayed away from us and the risks we're going to have to take this year. The war isn't over yet and I doubt a pureblood wants to dirty their hands in such an event."

Harry seemed not the least bit guilty at his statement. I told myself that he was just trying to protect me but a part of my mind was trying to quell the feeling that that wasn't the only reason that Harry was basically rejecting my friendship. I couldn't help but give him a hard look, wondering if he had forgotten all the years I had fought by his side, a muggleborn in apperance but a pureblood at heart.

"Now there will be no more lies between us. You won't have to worry about assimilating your non death eater friends into pureblood society. No worries for you now." I didn't bother correcting him.

"Is that how you really feel?" I whispered feeling tears stinging my eyes and feeling stupid for telling them my whole story now that I learned that I could be so easily discarded. I should have seen it coming, the hints were there as soon after my breakup with Ron had occurred.

"Don't get me wrong, Hermione. You were a good friend but I mean we're growing up and you aren't going to approve of the stuff we're going to be doing this year." He replied with a frown, "Plus, we're going to be taking _other_ kinds of risks." He looked out the window at the Patil twins who were giggling outside the door and I saw Ginny take her hand out of Harry's and glare but he didn't seem to notice. Harry had never been the most subtle of boys.

"Ginny isn't going to approve either but I can't disown her." Ron joked and Harry gave a small smile, his eyes were still focused on the twins outside. I saw Ginny's eyes harden, never a good sign when dealing with a Weasley, and she got up and left without an explanation. I quickly followed suit feeling tears flowing freely down my face. _Don't cry. Don't cry._ I told myself the words quickly becoming a mantra, hopefully it was one I wouldn't have to use again. I saw Ginny disappear into another compartment and I felt so lonely with no one to confide in or even sit with. Then I felt my resolve come back. _I need to find out about the charm._ I remembered my Uncle telling me about how he was going to break the news to his family, which included Blaise. Great. Another Slytherin git.

I walked into compartments one after the other trying to find Blaise and had no luck until I got to the last compartment._ Of course it's the last compartment!_ I walked in and froze as I saw Pansy towering over Blaise who was on the floor while Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle sat watching the little performance. Once I walked in all eyes turned to me while I tried to keep my composure under their intense gazes. I pushed aside the fact that the scene was a bit odd and tried to concentrate on talking. But my mind went a bit numb at the sight of the Slytherins before me.

_What am I doing here? You're going to be cursed in here, you know that. _They all stared at me and I stared back at them. Finally Pansy Parkinson, one of the Slytherins who had always taken it upon themselves to taunt me mercilessly decided to break the silence, "Do you need something?" I could hear the harshness in her tone but still found myself capable of a smile.

I took a calming breath before replying, "Right, I need to talk to Zabini." Blaise got up looking bored but my mind went whirling with questions regardless. _What if he doesn't know about me? What if he does and wants nothing to do with me? _Blaise stared at me expectantly and I realized he was waiting for me to speak. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that I wanted to have a private conversation and not be listened to by a bunch of my enemies.

"Maybe I need to be more specific." I replied feeling every bit a Gryffindor again as the Slytherins looked on haughtily, "I need to speak to you _alone." _

"That isn't quite possible, dear cousin, its rude to keep secrets in mixed company. A brilliant witch like you is sure to know that." I felt my anger rise once again, feeling as if I was dealing with Malfoy all over again. It was no surprise they were best mates, they might as well have been infuriating carbon copies of each other.

"Give me the letter, you wanker." I said deciding to take the direct approach with my cousin. I had dealt with Zabini before and he had never been one to back down from a fight, but neither had I. Besides, his father would be sure to hear about this and his antics wouldn't seem so clever then.

"Tsk, tsk. We do need to work on your manners. Let's start with my name, shall we. I'm Blaise…and you are?" I was surprised at the amount of control I had over myself. Finding that my fist had yet to connect with his jaw was a miracle in itself, and the fact that his nose hadn't been cursed off another enigma.

"Give me the letter." There was no way I was going to tell these filthy Slytherins my name, sure they would find out that I was their former mud blood plaything eventually but there was no way I would willingly put myself out there to be ridiculed by these worthless wizards and Parkinson, who was in actuality worse.

"Name, cousin dear?" My inconsiderate cousin obviously was not taking no for an answer. My need for that letter, the answers it would provide outweighed by embarrassment at being the old Hermione Granger in front of these prestigious Slytherins. I tried to convince myself that I was no longer that old muggleborn who took their taunts, I was a pureblood and would act as a dignified, well-bred one should.

Of course, what I ended up blurting out was anything but dignified, "It's Hermione, you worthless excuse of wizarding talent, that mud blood you lot used to taunt so fondly. The girl you considered beneath you, actually related to the _self-righteous, good for nothing, BLAISE ZABINI_! But I am a pureblood so that should satisfy you enough that you don't go snickering over the fact that I had the audacity to stand up here and talk to you as if I was equal to you or something. As preposterous as that sounds." I might have held some _slight_ pent up anger towards them.

My statement was met by silence and then a thud. Malfoy had just smacked his head against the wall. Pansy gave a small smirk while Blaise looked on curiously. He seemed unwilling to open his eyes but like always was more than happy to grace us with his words.

"No, no, no, no, no, no!" he repeated over and over in a low voice which worried me slightly. I had never seen Malfoy in a less then intimidating state.

"Malfoy, just because you hit on me doesn't mean that you should hurt yourself-actually no go ahead, added bonus." I finished sarcastically. Blaise stared at me, horror evident in his eyes.

"Malfoy hit on you?!" he exclaimed and then after another pause, "Malfoy hit on Granger!" It seemed that giggles were not totally absent from Slytherins after all.

"It gets worse." whispered Draco with a long sigh, it seemed he had a dramatic flair that I had been previously unaware of.

"What's worse than getting hit on by you?" I tried to image something a bit more demeaning than having a wanker like Draco Malfoy make a pass at me but my imagination could only travel so far. But the look on Malfoy's face at the moment assured me that my imagination would soon extend its limits in the preceding seconds. I closed my eyes readying myself for whatever Malfoy was about to tell me that would make my day go from bad to worse.

"We're betrothed." Malfoy whispered and I looked at him in shock and then checked outside of the compartment to make sure no one else had overheard. I was betrothed to Draco Malfoy. I sat down silently in an empty seat in utter and complete shock.

It was an impossibility. Betrothals were archaic. And Malfoy…he was just not husband material. He was rude, uncompromising, prejudiced, crude, unfaithful, disloyal, and lacked any if not all of the traits I had hoped to find in my future husband. I looked down at my hands as I tried to control my breathing, there had to be some sort of explanation. This couldn't possibly be true.

"Well, look at the bright side mate," said Blaise to Draco, "we'll be related."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Priceless

I could tell that Granger was not pleased. Neither was I, but at least I didn't look like I was going to gag, cry, and hit somebody all at the same time. Whether it was the nauseating look on her face or the tight pursing of her lips some primal instinct somehow convinced me to stay quiet, my instincts were telling me that my bride-to-be might just hex me if I said something offensive. I seemed to offend her often considering the number of times that she had hexed me in the past.

Finally Blaise made a tentative move toward his cousin and asked, "I have something for you." His mood seemed to have softened slightly as she looked as if she was coming closer and closer to a panic attack, "It's a letter…from my father."

At the mention of Mr. Zabini, D'jore looked up at everyone in triumph and even her eyes sparkled, "This is definitely my way out!" she exclaimed and then looked at me with a hint of disgust, "I would off myself before marrying the likes of _you_!"

"Why don't you just do it anyway?" I shot back scathingly and she glared.

Blaise handed her the letter which she quickly read to herself silently and her face went from hopeful to hopeless. I stared at her intently and hoped this was her idea of a joke, wishing she was one of those people who went for the element of surprise as I tried to further delude myself.

"What does it say?" I demanded tired of the ominous silence that could only mean one thing.

She looked up at me with a blank stare and then began reading the letter word for word, unable to keep the bitterness out of her voice.

"_Dear __Hermione, _

_I hope that I am finding you well. I have decided that it is time you were informed of some news that I have unfortunately been keeping from you. As you well know, an illusion charm was placed on you at a young age. The reasoning behind this being that you are betrothed to Draco Malfoy. I know you loathe the boy but we all need to make compromises in our lives at some point in time. Marrying into a well-respected pureblood family should be the least of your worries._

_You are probably wondering why you would need an illusion charm for such an arrangement. However, to understand you would first need to know the etiquette of pureblood betrothals which includes the bride and groom knowing nothing about their future spouse. Unfortunately for you, Draco found out your identity from his father. He is a clever young man, you lucked out there._

_In wizarding society, a year before the wedding date, the identities of each respective spouse is announced. Which is this letter's purpose. So now that you understand the illusion charm was only placed on you for your own good, and that had you kept your original appearance and been introduced to your fiancée earlier you would have most definitely been shunned by society, I'm sure that you and Draco can have a very healthy engagement. _

_Being a D'jore, as I have told you before, comes with much responsibility which in this case just happened to include keeping Draco from finding out your true identity. You look almost identical to your parents so this had to be done. Well-known pureblood families have almost identical traits through the generations. Also, the change of your surname to those of your adoptive parents was intended to ensure that he wouldn't find out. I am terribly sorry that you have to find out like this but I was sworn to secrecy. Have a good year, looking forward to seeing you in high spirits at your wedding, I'm sure. _

_Yours truly,_

_Uncle Damien."_

As D'jore finished she looked up at me with repugnance evident on her otherwise attractive features.

"You idiotic, brainless, insolent prat! How come you needed to know? Your parent's are just wrapped around your little finger aren't they? Merlin, they would grovel at your feet if you asked them!" she yelled her voice both desperate and filled with anger.

"Don't talk about my parents like that, you muggle lover!" I shot back jumping out of my seat. Blaise quickly held me back but I didn't know what I would have done if had actually gotten over to D'jore. She was a girl so I couldn't hit her but maybe I could have hexed her.

"You don't know anything about that incident." I said trying to defend myself in such a bad situation, "I was nine! I didn't know that it was such a big deal and wouldn't you like to know who you had to spend the rest of your life with?"

"Rest of my life!" exclaimed D'jore horrified, "I'm not actually going to marrying you!"

"You really don't have a choice," said Blaise nonchalantly, and I couldn't help but wish I was the third party in this situation, "It's a magical contract signed by both parents and is only null and void if one of you dies."

"Well, D'jore you said that-" I got cut off by "Shut up!" as my future wife shut her eyes tight. I continued mockingly, "I love you too." D'jore put a hand over her mouth and said, "Don't make me gag Malfoy."

"Well enough of this love fest the trains arrived…" replied Pansy calling my attention that there were other Slytherins in the compartment with us. D'jore walked out without looking back and I glared after her, hoping she was run over by a carriage on her way out.

I quickly put on my robes and we all hurried out of the compartment. I decided to owl my father and see if maybe there was the slight chance that he hadn't heard about D'jore's arrival at Hogwarts and request his assistance in the search for a wife abroad. There were tons of hot purebloods out there that were more than willing to be my wife and have a Malfoy heir. However, as I looked at my wife to be's obvious clean cut pureblood looks I knew my father wouldn't be swayed anytime too. If my father was anything, he was traditional.

With the traditions of a pureblood betrothal in mind, I couldn't help but smirk at one of the many minute details that my darling, Hermione, was currently unaware of. The issue of bearing an heir was sure to be something that warranted another obscene reaction, especially since the heir was expected by our first anniversary. Her face would be priceless. I could just image her wide eyes, her mouth opened in a gaping hole, her eyebrows knitted together in anger, and of course her hands clenching at her sides.

As I got into my carriage I saw my future bride in a deep conversation with the female Weasel and shouted across to her, "Hey D'jore!" she turned around looking furious that I had the audacity to speak to her in public, she hurriedly walked over to me not wanting to attract anymore unwanted attention from our fellow classmates. I felt a grin spread across my face as she stood, hands on hips, in front of me waiting for an explanation.

"I'm so glad you took this betrothal so well." I began mockingly and she tapped her foot impatiently on the ground as if I was wasting _her_ time, "Seeing as your going to have to produce many future Malfoy heirs and thus have to shall I say fornicate-"

"What the-" the rest of the words were a blur of sound as I took that as my cue to leave. The last words of course could not be drowned out by the protection of the carriage door. I sat back contently as I listened to her short bangs on the door.

"I'm going to kill you, Malfoy!" I peeked out the window to see the Weaslette shuttle D'jore into her own carriage as my fiancée looked on the verge of hyperventilating. I couldn't help but keep the smile off my face as I replayed her red face over and over in my mind, I realized her reaction was better than anything I could have ever imagined.

**Again, review, review, review, and more review. Please!! Hope you liked the chapter. **


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: A long, long time

I blushed crimson at Malfoy's words and couldn't help but realize that he was right. Like in all pure-blood betrothals I had read about there was usually a set limit on how late you could produce your first child. I cringed as I realized that the only way I could actually have Malfoy's baby was to have _sex_ with _Malfoy._ That was one thought that I had hoped would never cross my mind.

"Uhh...Hermione?" Ginny's voice raised me out of my stupor, "You have a lot of explaining to do." I saw her eyebrows rise as I blushed again. This would be a very embarrassing and not to mention depressing conversation.

"I'll tell you inside the carriage." I conceded and we stepped inside the first available one. Once we got settled in, Ginny stared at me expectantly and I tried to phrase my words so it didn't sound as far-fetched as it seemed to even me but there was no way in my mind that it sounded sensible so I said quickly and without emotion, "I have to marry Malfoy…"

Ginny's mouth hung open and she said something that I hadn't expected, "Well, at least it's not Crabbe or Goyle." I blinked waiting for her to be horrified not calm and understanding. Hadn't she been the one who had hexed him in fifth year?

"Ginny, did you understand what I just said?" I asked tentatively trying to see if she was kidding or maybe she just hit her head really hard on the train ride, she had seemed rather rational earlier.

"You are lucky Hermione. I mean he has grown a lot since when he was a snotty rich pretentious brat. Now you get a rich, handsome, and influential husband. What more could you want?" she asked and smiled wistfully probably thinking of a husband for herself along those standards.

"I would like husband that wasn't a future deatheater, whose promiscuity did not lead into the beds of every seventh year girl at Hogwarts, and that didn't mock me insistently. Which, frankly, I don't think is too much to ask for."

Ginny just smiled and said, "You'll learn to love him besides I really doubt he is a Deatheater. I heard he was a bit of a wimp actually." I shook my head and she asked, "So why _do_ you have to marry Malfoy? I mean obviously you are not doing this by choice."

"We are betrothed. My real parents are even controlling my life from the grave. My life has become so complicated since I found out I was a witch and that I was not just another ordinary muggle." I said with a groan remembering the constant taunting about my heritage, the rigorous lessons from my uncle, and the weight of a secret that I wished I would have been able to tell someone, anyone but I had been kept from doing by another complicated spell.

I looked down at my feet, overcome by these depressing thoughts before looking up at Ginny and giving her my most encouraging smile(which wasn't really much at the moment) before saying, "Enough about me…what has been happening in the wonderful world of Ginerva Weasley?"

Ginny tapped her foot impatiently against the carriage's floor as a worried expression grazed her face, "I think I should break up with Harry." She said completely throwing me off while now glancing anxiously out the window as if some eavesdropper was listening intently outside of the moving carriage ready to carry the message to the entire school. I kept quiet not wanting to encourage her in any way as at this point I was slightly biased. She ran her fingers through her curly red hair and fumed, "I mean he is obviously cheating on me. Did you hear him in the train 'plus we're going to be taking other kinds of risks'! He was basically drooling over Parvarti and Padama, I mean he could at least be discreet!"

I was saved from having to answer as the carriage jostled to a stop and we both stepped out and headed towards the castle where I saw Malfoy walking up with Blaise and Pansy. He saw me and headed straight for me. I tried to think of a way to avoid talking to him, my future husband and present ruiner of lives, without looking like a coward but by the time I had even come up with a remotely plausible excuse he was in front of me and Ginny, who had suddenly became very quiet and more than a bit red.

"I thought I should warn you that Dumbledore is going to allow my parents to speak at the feast." He looked a bit green as he continued, "And they are going to announce our…engagement." My eyes widened it was one thing to find out you were engaged but a whole other thing to announce it to the entire school, especially on the same day that you find out.

"W-hhhat?" I choked out trying not to pass out while I took deep breaths. _Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. _I need to get a hold of myself if I was going to get through even my first night back at Hogwarts.

"Dumbledore also set up a table for us to sit as, because your meeting the parents." Malfoy said, "He said it was only appropriate." I groaned and Malfoy stiffened, "I don't want this as much as you do but the point is I'm going to have to shag you and your going to have to shag me so _deal_."

"Is that all you think marriage is about?" I asked exasperated, "Sex?"

"It's a big part of it! But then again what would a mudblood virgin know of such things?" he sneered angry at being insulted again by someone who also seemed to come on top of all aspects of …well…everything.

"Wrong on both points, Malfoy." giggled Ginny and I looked at her surprised that she had defended me. I felt a surge of joy and upon Malfoy's reaction to this statement. I joined Ginny in laughing. Malfoy looked both surprised and seemingly confused like everything he had thought about me had been jumbled up in his mind and he couldn't tell which was true or false. He looked thoughtful for another moment and then grabbed my arm, his grip tight enough so that I couldn't wriggle free but light enough that I didn't feel any immense pain.

"Malfoy, I can walk fine by myself thanks." I said as he pulled me through the open doors to the castle. Ginny gave me a 'sorry' look and walked off. , "Really, Malfoy can't you let go?"

I know you don't think this marriage is the best thing but I can't let people think that my fiancée is unwilling to marry me so can you please _cooperate_?" he said looking me straight in the eyes and I looked down not sure of what to say. I mean marrying Malfoy hadn't been on the top of my agenda but obviously he felt the same way about this but could I really take all this without a fight?

"Umm..." I started stalling for time and also walking slower as we neared the Great Hall where the first years were waiting outside the door looking as nervous as they did every year.

"Look, Hermione" said Malfoy getting frustrated with my lack of words and making me more than a little nervous with the use of my first name, "Malfoy wives are expected to do many things. They are always supposed to look poised, have the best clothes, and of course _always _agree with their husbands. They are mostly there for decoration but if they are called upon should be able to show that they hold some signs of intelligence. You need to understand that whether you like it or not that you will eventually have to become every one of those things. My father will make sure of it and unfortunately for you there might be a spell involved if you try to be stubborn. So, if you know what's good for you, you will listen to me carefully and just do what you're told. As unlikely as this sounds I am trying to help you. The life of a pure-blood is not as easy as you probably have already assumed."

I stood speechless as Malfoy's words vibrated inside of my mind and the words 'there might be a spell involved' hit me hard. I had been controlled by spells all my life. Not allowed to disclose any information that should have been my choice to tell or not even being able to be myself but someone that my family had made up for me. I felt a nervousness to keep myself under my own control, and not yet again be under someone's power and I looked Malfoy straight in the eyes.

"Alright, I get your point." Malfoy didn't react to my words but just nodded his head as we entered the Great Hall, he hooked his arm with mine and I felt a strange tingling feeling run up and down my body. I had never thought I would be in this position, being held on to by Malfoy but I couldn't lie and say that it felt vile and totally out of place, it was nice in an odd way. All eyes were on us as we walked over to our own table and my surprise awaited there. Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy were sitting at the small table looking poised and a bit intimidating. I held on to Malfoy's arm tighter knowing that I would trust him over his parents in almost any situation.

The thought of trusting Malfoy made me want to return to my old form of living where I didn't have to marry anybody or didn't know that my friends would leave me because I didn't fit in with their plans. I felt Malfoy let go of my arm and he held out a chair for me (like an actual gentleman…my day can only get so much weirder) which I gratefully sat in. My hands shook but I hoped my face didn't reveal my nervousness to these people who prided themselves so much on keeping their emotions to themselves.

"Father, mother" I heard Malfoy say not sounding the least bit nervous. "I would like you to meet my future wife Hermione D'jore." His voice sounded hollow and lacking of feeling. When I pictured myself or my husband speaking of marrying I had imagined a voice filled with excitement and love, but then again I had never imagined being forced to marry a Malfoy.

"Nice to meet you, Ms. D'jore. We have been very anxious to finally meet you face to face, we had thought this moment would never come." said Mrs. Malfoy in a delicate voice. She looked to her husband as if checking if this was the right thing to say.

"Yes." agreed Mr. Malfoy smirking, "your name reminds me of another young teen that I had once met. But she was not as beautiful as you Ms. D'jore, of course, and actually a bit of a know-it-all which I know for a fact is not any quality for a Malfoy wife much less yourself." He chuckled and I had to fight back the urge to make a comeback at his remark because it was directed at my former self and I had never taken an insult without a retort. I remembered our meeting at the bookstore in second year and his obvious dislike of my muggle parents. What would they say if they found out that I was exactly the same person?

"So, Ms. D'jore, where have you been hiding all these years? Obviously not in another school because we have searched the other wizarding schools countless times." Mr. Malfoy said while Mrs. Malfoy just sat silently beside him her face pleasant but not overly welcoming.

I was going to say I had been at Beauxbatons but obviously that wouldn't work now. I squeezed Draco's knee trying to signify I needed help but in response he just smirked and held my hand there, I fumed. Just when I thought my silence was too long Dumbledore stood up saving the day.

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts." He began smiling down at the student body, "Before we can start our wondrous and delicious feast however, I have two very important announcements." He glanced at our table which made the rest of Hogwarts do the same and I squirmed as all eyes were on us. The Malfoy's just acted as if the whole school staring at them happened everyday and smirked slightly basking in the glory, "The Head Boy and Girl this year are Mr. Malfoy and Ms. D'jore. I congratulate you on your hard work and success. There is also something that Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy would like to announce to you."

Draco's parents stood and walked over to the front of the hall while I started to look for a familiar face so that I wouldn't have to see the reaction of the whole student body about this marriage. I looked over at the Gryffindor table and saw Ginny arguing while Ron watched the spectacle and shoveled food into his mouth. I would have laughed if I didn't felt so far away from where they were. Even though they were only across the hall they felt like a century away as if I was looking at them through a crystal ball(as unreliable as those things are). I shook my head and settled on looking at Draco as his parents announced that we were to become Mr. and Mrs. Draco Malfoy.

I realized that my hand was still on his knee and tried to take it off but he held on to it, "Well, Hermione I didn't know that resisting me could be so hard on you. I mean coming on to me in front of my parents and now staring at me like a piece of meat, can't you exert some self control?" he asked mockingly.

The Draco Malfoy that had tried to make life easier for me in the hall was gone and once again was replaced by the Draco Malfoy that had called me a mudblood on the train, the Draco Malfoy that I knew all too well.

But if he could go back to his old self then so could I, "I was trying to get your help not come on to you! God, how dense could you get. I mean sure I'll probably have to marry you but your not getting any for a _long, long _time." In response to my answer he blushed slightly but not because of my words as I expected but because the whole hall had just heard what I had said, including Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy and they did not look happy.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Needing to know

I looked at her appalled. She was truly tactless. She had just announced to the whole school that she wasn't going to have sex with me for as long as humanly possible. I had always known Granger had to have the last word but I had assumed she could sense the silence that had surrounded her when she had uttered her last inappropriate sentiment. I felt like things were once again out of my control as the silence in the Great Hall abounded and exerted self control as I tried to act like her statement hadn't bothered me. I saw her blush as she realized that the whole school had just heard her and when she saw my parents staring at her she looked like she wanted to disappear.

My father was glaring at her while my mother stood behind him with no expression at all as they walked back to the table, probably wondering what the hell we were talking about._ Think fast._ I tried to think of a plausible solution, since D'jore didn't seem capable of forming any more coherent words, the stupidest excuse seemed to be the only one to stick in my head but I had to say something.

I waited for my parents to come within hearing range before I spoke, "It's just a damned spell! How come you just won't tell me the incantation?" I asked Hermione and she blankly stared at me. Finally, after what seemed like forever she realized that I was trying to rectify the disastrous situation she had caused but she still looked slightly confused.

"It's a family secret, Draco, and I don't want you to know anything about it until we are properly wed so you are just going to have to wait." She said this just as my parents sat down and my father looked slightly confused while my mother just stared at me in a face that said that she didn't believe me, "You're not getting anything out of me." She added for emphasis.

"Ms. D'jore, are you telling me that your outburst was about…_spells_?" asked my father and my mother gave him a warning look but everyone had already turned their attention to the sorting hat as it began to sort the new students. I saw some people fooled by the stupid excuse, others who still looked skeptical, and people that knew me very well laughing amongst themselves. Mostly Blaise and Pansy, who looked like they had a hard time just sitting up straight.

"Uhh...yes, sir. That spell is very important to my family." Hermione answered meekly but not very convincingly. My father suddenly smirked in answer seeming to come up with a brilliant plan in that very moment. My father's ideas can be brilliant but the problem is for whom that they benefit.

"I was under the impression that you were talking about sex." He said bluntly the smirk still present on his face as Hermione blushed and shook her head vigorously as if trying to get my father talking about sex out of her mind. I wasn't particularly happy about it either.

"No, no, sir." she looked so helpless sitting there in front of my father who was obviously intimidating her. I felt almost on the verge of offering her some words of support but as I looked into her helpless eyes I couldn't help but feel that I had finally held some power in my hands.

"Well then that means that I can perform a spell insuring my son can…be intimate … with you whenever he wishes in the next two days, I'll even count tonight." This time I joined my father in smirking. It was time the overly pretentious witch learned that she wouldn't have must control in our upcoming nuptials. Hermione looked like she had been slapped in the face but I couldn't see any way that she could get out of this one. She looked like she wanted to retort with a scathing remark but thought again and kept her mouth shut.

I whispered in her ear, "You know you did this to yourself." She scowled and seemed like she would very much have liked to have pulled my hair and then hexed me. But I usually assumed that this was the case.

"Umm, is that really necessary?" she asked timidly which made my mother glare at me like this was my fault, but I was content in thinking that she had brought this predicament on herself. I looked back at my mother with a confused expression but I knew she wasn't fooled. _I'm going to get an ear-full later._

I looked back to my father who was still smirking, "It is just a precaution, and Draco probably won't even use it on you since you kids probably…" he awkwardly stumbled over his words, "do it regularly. We are all aware of the consequences of teenage hormones." He coughed and looked down but I could still see him smirking despite himself. Hermione looked pleadingly at me but I just sat there looking concerned and at that moment I knew she utterly loathed me ( her foot digging into my own was also an indication).

"Anything the matter, love?" I asked mockingly but only so she could tell, "Don't you trust me?" This got my mother's attention and she stared at Hermione who looked even more uncomfortable now. My mother was a powerful woman who often judged people rather harshly and the answer to this question would greatly influence how her relationship with Hermione would be.

"Of course I do." she said through gritted teeth, "You can perform the spell." She gave in but her face became panicked and her eyes started to shift form side to side. It wasn't often that I got to see this expression grace her features and I couldn't help but get a perverse pleasure out of seeing her in this condition, "This is only short term, of course." She added in a fear stricken voice.

"Of course, dear." My mother answered soothingly while looking helplessly at my father knowing there was nothing she could do to help Hermione now. I had mixed emotions about my situation, on the one hand I had complete control over one of my more persistent and annoying enemies on the other I knew this spell would definitely get my future wife to harbor further resentment and hatred in my direction. Although, we didn't really have a healthy relationship to begin with and a little resentment found its way into every marriage eventually.

Hermione twisted her hands nervously as my father got his wand out of his pocket and glanced at Dumbledore who seemed to be in a deep conversation with a couple of the Professors including that great oaf, Hagrid. My father quickly turned away and muttered a spell under his breath which made Hermione gave a small gasp as a yellow beam of light connected with her body.

She kept her eyes downcast not looking up and my mother fretfully looked across the table, she was more concerned than I was used to seeing her. A silence overtook the table once more only to be disrupted by the sound of an owl swooping down into the hall to land in front of Pansy who looked horrified at its mere presence.

She caught my eye but quickly looked away because we both knew what the letter meant. She opened it slowly and her eyes swept over the words swiftly before she broke into tears and Blaise got her by the arm and lead her out of the Great Hall where some students were already giggling slightly at the sight of one the most confident and powerful girls breaking down. A protective anger built up inside my chest and I would have gone to join my friends had my parents not been present.

"What happened?" asked Granger in a tone filled with mixed feelings. If she had started giggling like the others I don't know if I could have stood for it but I left her question unanswered staring at my mother who looked like she was ready to join Pansy in crying, "Mr. Malfoy, do you know what happened?" she asked persistent as always.

My father looked confused but finally answered her after a long moment of silence, "Pansy's father has just passed away."

Granger looked uncomfortable, obviously she had never met the man, but she had also never heard anything about him either so she couldn't judge on whether this was a good or a bad thing, "How?" she asked timidly._ Why do you need to know?_ I felt angered at the way she needed to know everything, she had no right to inquire or feel sorry for someone she didn't know and probably was already judging for being acquainted with my parents.

"He was poisoned." I answered my voice filled with suppressed rage that surprised both of my parents who looked at me sternly, "Every day he was poisoned over and over until his body became so weak that he could barely remember who he was. It started a year ago and hadn't stopped until the day he died, the healers tried everything but the spell was too powerful and unique."

"Who would do such a thing?" she asked her voice carrying sympathy which I felt she didn't deserve to feel. If I hadn't told her his story would she would have passed off his death as another deatheater gone from the world making it a better place.

"We found out who the caster was a year ago but the Ministry refused to punish the person because of unjust reasons and did nothing." my father said his voice raspy and unfamiliar to my ears. Mr. Parkinson had been one of my father's best friends and mentors, 15 years his senor, he had taught my father how to survive in the wizarding world and had been a constant companion to him after my grandfather passed away 5 years ago.

"Who was it?" she asked in a horrified tone._ What is with the questions? Do you need to know everything?_

"Amos Diggory." My father answered his voice filled with venom, "He is often symphasized with due to his son's unlikely death, but what really got him out of his sticky situation was his many connections, not unlike myself, that got him out of serving time in Azkaban."

Hermione looked at Lucius confused, "But the Order only uses force when needed, why would Mr. Diggory poison Mr. Parkinson? No one would be admitted into fighting for our side in the war if they had done such a horrid thing on purpose."

My father looked at her and laughed, "You know nothing about the war then Ms. D'jore because we have had worse things done to us than this." Hermione looked appalled and glanced at me like this was my fault. I noticed that my father had not commented on Hermione calling the Order "our side" and realized that he was probably more affected by Mr. Parkinson's death than he was currently letting on.

I looked around me and realized that many people were almost done with their food so I ate some of my own until I was content and then listened to Dumbledore's announcements. Finally, he dismissed us to our dorm which coincidently I shared with Hermione. Our Head status would mean we would be spending more time together whether we wanted to or not.

"Goodbye, mother…father." I said as we stepped into the corridor outside of the Great Hall which was dimly lit and filled with students trying to get to their common rooms.

"Goodbye, Draco we shall be seeing you soon to plan the wedding." My father glanced at Hermione who seemed very interested in her shoes at that moment but she finally looked up and said a muffled "Hope to see you soon." which sounded so like her old self that again I couldn't help but realize the oddity of the situation I currently found myself in. My parents walked off and we were left alone once more.

"I thought this year was going to be hard since my appearance had changed and all." Hermione said unexpectedly, "but I had never imagined it to become this hard."

I stayed quiet not sure how to respond to a comment like that. I knew that we wouldn't get along for a great while but she had to get use to it eventually. I remembered the way that she had inquired about Pansy's father in the Great Hall and found an annoyance overcome me again. It might take me even longer than I realized to get use to this betrothal as well.

"Is yourself all you thing about, Granger?" I asked slipping on her name but not caring at this point, "You had no right to ask any of those questions, all I ever hear from your mouth is whining. Other people have problems too." She looked shocked at my tone because she was usually the one reprimanding me for one of my scathing remarks or cruel behavior but now it seemed the tables were finally if not momentarily turned.

I turned on my heel and went in search of Pansy and Blaise, I needed to get away from her and clear my head before I said something or did something too rash. I felt her stare at me as I walked towards the Slytherin dorms but she didn't call me back to her and try to defend herself, she just stood there in a state of shock. I would never know for how long but I felt she deserved to look as foolish as she acted.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: I was wrong

I couldn't get Draco Malfoy's voice out of my head as I walked to the Head's dorm. He had seemed so angry and so… unlike himself. I had never expected to be demeaned by him of all people. I walked swiftly into the common room without glancing at its glorious furnishing and it's over the top quality. I sat down on the couch as soon as I entered trying to get his harsh tone out of my head. '_Other people have problems too.' _He had said this like I hadn't ever realized it before. It wasn't like he was the picture of empathy either; I mean I can't even count the number of times he had made ridiculed Harry and his parent's death.

I couldn't grasp the fact that he was so mad at me for asking a few questions. It wasn't as if I had been mocking Pansy or her father or even judging them in any way. I had just been trying to understand the situation, something I would have done even if the person who died had been in the Order. I let out a long sigh as I felt a feeling of guilt wash over me. _You were wrong, and Malfoy was right._ As hard as it was to accept this I had to because it was the truth and if I was going to get along with Malfoy I would have to admit he was right sometimes.

I had been worried so much about my own situation of having to marry Malfoy and my friends' reactions to my sudden change that I hadn't even considered that other people could be having worse times in their own lives than I was having now. I hung my head lower as I realized that my problem wasn't even worthy to be in the _Daily Prophet_ unlike other people who had their whole families tortured or lost thanks to the Dark Lord while my parents had actually taken a part of that.

I did a double take as that train of thought past through my mind. I remembered the conversation I had been in with the Malfoy family earlier about Mr. Parkinson and how there had been worse things done to pure-blood families. I had never thought that the Light side might actually be hurting innocent people before. I had thought that our cause was just and that everything we did was necessary; to do what was right in the end. _Don't the Deatheaters think the same thing? _Finding out the cause of Pansy's father's death had rattled my belief system which had once been such a certainty. I couldn't believe that I had never questioned if we were actually hurting others.

I shook my head trying to clear my mind and that's when I heard the portrait hole open and expecting Draco I readied myself to give him a apology. I was disappointed to instead see my cousin Blaise Zambini come in and look at me with unveiled irritation.

"Not you too." I exclaimed, "What did he tell you? I was wrong for prying but really it wasn't that bad!" Blaise ignored me and went into the Head Boy marked door and I was left feeling foolish once more. _Why won't anyone listen to me? _

Blaise came back out a few minutes later carrying a small suitcase but I stood in his way refusing to let him out of the portrait hole without getting my point across. He glared at me and tapped his foot impatiently but still stayed silent.

"I wasn't trying-" I began but Blaise huffed and interrupted me in anger as strongly fueled as Draco's had been earlier.

"You had no right to judge Mr. Parkinson like that! You didn't even know him and you were already asking questions about his death probably thinking he had murdered a mudblood couple and been executed! He was an honorable man and people like you don't even deserve to have pity on his death!"

I stared at him my eyes hardening with my own fury. I was done with being yelled out for something that I had never done! I took a step forward while Blaise just stood there looking smug thinking that I couldn't come up with a good enough response, "You are talking to me about judging people? You have got to be kidding me! I had just been trying to find out who the man was for Merlin's sake!

"All your accusations are just foolish! It's not like any of you pure-bloods don't judge anyway, you are all condescending to muggle borns without ever meeting them! I was a pure-blood and just as good as all of you yet because you didn't get all the facts you were all soo… condescending and… snobbish as possible! None of you have a right to patronize me because every single one of you have done exactly the same thing and I didn't even do anything_ wrong _except ask a few_ damn questions_!" Blaise stared at me with a blank expression seeming to be deep in thought.

"You were still wrong." He said stubbornly which only further fueled my anger but before I could rant again, "But I guess I shouldn't have believed Draco so readily before asking you what happened. I'm just not used to asking you things, I mean I've never really even spoken to you before, and Draco is my best mate. It's just…usually people like Mr. Parkinson get a bad reputation and its usually your kind that spreads lies about him." Anger tinted his voice as he continued, "You were wrong but I think Draco might have overreacted slightly...he does that." His lips quivered into a smile and I felt my face soften a bit.

"I'm sorry." I said sincerely and Blaise nodded but didn't reply with his own apology.But then I hadn't really thought he would be that understanding.

"You should be apologizing to Draco not to me he is really pissed off at you. Most of the Slytherins will be giving you dirty looks by morning." He said, I guess as a helpful hint to replace his apology that would never come.

"That's nothing new." I whispered thoughtfully and then, "Can I come with you to the Slytherin dorms then?" Blaise looked at me curiously, "I want to give my apology and I do feel awful but I think it will help my chances of acceptance if you're there with me."

Blaise looked smug, "Everybody needs me." I rolled my eyes and exited the common room with Blaise not far behind. I began to lead but I soon realized I had no idea where I was going and looked sheepishly back at Blaise who smirked and muttered another "Everybody needs me".

I followed him as he descended towards the dungeons and was confused when we stopped at a dead end of a corridor barely used. Blaise tapped his wand on the wall and walked through leaving me to follow him and we came to another long corridor but instead of going down the length of it we stopped abruptly and Blaise tapped the side wall again and entered it but I couldn't get through the wall as Blaise had and stood puzzled at the other side.

Then I saw Blaise's face poke out of the wall making me jump and he smiled sheepishly making him look very unlike himself, "I'm not used to leading people from other houses in here. I forgot you weren't a Slytherin," he offered me his arm which I took and then we were standing outside of a portrait of as vampire with a blood-red cape who looked at Blaise sternly but said nothing of my presence.

"Password?" he hissed while swinging his cape behind him. Blaise whispered a word that I couldn't catch before leading me inside of the Slytherin common room where all movement stopped as soon as I entered. I noticed that it looked as warm as the Gryffindor common room but I immediately realized I was not welcomed.

"Uhh…Blaise, how many people did Draco tell exactly?" I whispered while grabbing hold of his arm which raised a few eye-brows. Blaise just gave me a sad smile as an answer and lead me up to the 7th year boy dorms where Draco was sitting having a deep conversation with Pansy. They didn't notice us as we entered and I started to think maybe this wasn't the best idea. Blaise looked at me trying to prompt me to move forward but I felt I had officially lost my nerve at this point and starting walking backwards towards the door.

Blaise took matters into his own hands and said, "My cousin is here." That grabbed both of his housemates attention and Draco glared at me while Pansy's face was impassive as always.

"Blaise, how did she get here?" asked Draco obviously trying to avoid talking to me, "Didn't we agree that you wouldn't talk to her while you did me that favor? I told you she would try to make her offense not sound as bad as it seemed." Blaise seemed to consider this but then looked at me and looked down defeated. Draco was his best friend there was no way I could compete with that.

"I followed him here, Malfoy." I said in Blaise's defense, "He only knew I was here after I touched his arm to pass through the second wall. By that time he realized anything he couldn't do anything to stop me."

"Of course the nosey _mudblood_ would do that. I'm sorry for my rudeness, Blaise." I ignored his offensive comment knowing that if I started yelling like I had with Blaise the situation would just worsen.

"I was wrong and I'm sorry. I wasn't judging or any thing I just wanted to know what was going on. If I had known you would have gotten so mad I wouldn't have asked anything." I said pleadingly. Draco scoffed and said nothing and I glanced at Pansy who was staring at me with a peculiar expression on her face.

"Pansy, I wasn't judging your father, from what Malfoy told me he was a very good man. I can't tell you I know how you feel or that I feel sorry for you because we never were really that close or anything but what happened to him was wrong and well…I really can't say much else. We will probably never be close friends or even good acquaintances but I just want you to know that I didn't mean to pry in your life or anything of the sort." Pansy nodded her head in acceptance of my little speech and turned to Draco.

"You shouldn't have gotten so angry. She didn't mean anything by it." and then in a lower voice she said, "How are you going to have a wife that you can't even get along with?"

Draco stared at her and then me, "I'm only doing this because of Pansy." I almost smiled at the resemblance of how much he sounded like Harry and Ron. Blaise, Draco, and Pansy reminded me a lot of how we used to be and I realized that I didn't hate them but actually admired them because at least they were still together, "Don't cry, Granger." Malfoy said and I realized that I had been and quickly proceeded to wiped my cheeks surprised at my emotions.

Blaise looked at me confused while Pansy turned to Draco with a smug grin, "She's not crying over you so don't start being a prat. Obviously she has other pressing matters weighing on her mind." Malfoy turned to me curiously.

"What were you crying about then?" he asked daring me not to tell him after he had just forgiven me.

"You might get mad." I whispered but Draco just snorted and motioned for me to continue, "Well, it's just you reminded me of Harry and Ron when you said you were only forgiving me because of Pansy."

"Why would you cry though?" asked Blaise who now thought it was once again safe to contribute to the conversation.

"We aren't…friends anymore. Since the train ride to Hogwarts." I turned around and looked at the floor as the words hit me for the first time. Draco looked particarly smug at the news, "The Golden Trio is over?" he gasped but that was only because Pansy had just kicked him in the shin.

"Shut-up, Draco!" Pansy hissed not looking at me after she said this. I looked at her seriously, wondering at this side of her, maybe we could be…acquaintances. Blaise grabbed me by the shoulder but I shrugged his arm off. Now it seemed like everything reminded me of them. Ron had always used to get me by the shoulders when he wanted to tell me something serious that he couldn't put into words or even when he wanted to cheer me up a bit. I closed my eyes imagining their faces, laughing and smiling. The Golden Trio was officially no more.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Pansy's Pay-back

I looked down at the former Hermione Granger, her black hair stuck to her face streaked with tears, her pale face covered with her hands as she tried to quell her unattractive sobs. I looked away slightly appalled at the behavior of one of the few people that I had always counted on to keep it together. I had always assumed that it would take more than lack of friends to make Hermione Granger cry, Merlin knows I tried to make her cry enough times. She took a few long ragged breaths and stood up with a little help from Blaise.

"Ugh…sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me…" she trailed off here and her knees seemed to weaken so she sat on the bed beside her, "It's not like I never realized the facts before… that they weren't my friends anymore." She muttered to herself letting her hair fall back into her face, whether it was to cover her embarrassment of not being in control of herself or whether it had gotten there by itself was an enigma.

Pansy knelt down beside her but I quickly yanked her arm away, "Are all Slytherins going soft today?" I fumed trying to get the image of Hermione's petite form weeping and my overwhelming surge of guilt out of my head, "So what the Golden Trio broke up. It's not the end of the world!"

Pansy yanked her arm from my grasp and faced me with a pissed off stance that she is widely known for, "Do you remember in fourth year when we were dating?" She said menacingly. I took a step back and just nodded because I remembered that year a little too well. I had faced the pissed stance a few dozen times.

Pansy continued, "That's when you told me that you had kissed Daphne Greengrass and you wanted to break up. Then Blaise got mad at both of us because he had warned us that the exact situation would take place if we started to date. We hadn't talked to each other for weeks after that and I don't know how you guys felt but it was hard on me and that was only for a couple of weeks." I remembered the incident vividly. Pansy had sent me to the infirmary for a week with a few complex hexes that I still haven't been able to learn despite my questioning after we were once again on good terms.

Blaise nodded his agreement and I glared at him but also nodded because if I hadn't Pansy would have defiantly hexed me… again. I glanced at Hermione who was looking at us all curiously." I'm sure Hermione feels ten times worse right now so could you not be a complete prat?"

"When did you become the great Gryffindor defender?" I asked pissed that she had told me off. I saw Pansy blush but straighten.

"I don't _defend _anyone but its not fair to pick on people when they are at their lowest like you had said Hermione was doing to me (but which she hadn't) so even if I don't particularly like her as a person," Pansy glanced at Hermione who nodded her head in agreement to this statement, "I at least need to give her the same treatment."

I just shook my head and yawned, "Come on, let's go D'jore." I said annoyed "Before you start sobbing again." Obviously she didn't appreciate this comment because she stood up to her full height which was about 5'4 an inch smaller than Pansy and a lot smaller than my height of 6'2. _Great two pissed off girls in two minutes. I am on a roll!_

"I don't want to leave, I want to hear more about your little… escapades with these unfortunate women rather than go back to our own common room with only you as company." Blaise gave a slow whistle and Pansy stiffened probably taking offense but trying not to show it.

"I could tell you." Blaise said giving me a small smirk accompanied with an amused look. "His first shag-" I cut him off before he could say anything embarrassing with a kick and said, "I will tell the whole school about that thing I found in your drawers in fifth year if you don't shut up!" Blaise quieted and rubbed his shin. Pansy looked at Hermione and then at me again.

"Did you ever date Potter, is that why the whole no more friends is so hard on you?" I was guessing this is what her pay-back was for the 'unfortunate women' comment. I looked at Hermione in horror._ I can't marry a woman that slept with Potter! _

"Of course not!" she said looking a bit disgusted. I relaxed a bit. Pansy gave a tight lipped smile and glanced at me again looking a little too smug, "That's right you were with Weasley not Potter."

I felt myself pale and my eyes zero in on Granger as I waited for her to deny what Pansy had said but she stayed quiet and I just about wanted to hurl up my dinner. I didn't know what I was feeling, it was overwhelming me and I felt like I had to hit something, more specifically Weasley.

I wasn't jealous. I was sure of that, just utterly and completely disgusted. My wife had certain expectations to live up to and being the ex-girfriend of the pathetic Ronald Weasley did not go along with those expectations. I had always assumed that Granger was the equivalent to a celibate librarian anyway. I mean didn't all boys find her physically unattractive and mentally exhausting? She had been a complete menace with her unruly hair and uptight view about everything. I couldn't believe another man-or boy because Weasley was definitely _not_ a man-had actually felt up Granger. I realized that I had thought of her as someone that no one could have and the way she treated me was the way she treated all of her suitors.

"You dated Weasley?" I asked my voice low but steady. Hermione looked at me, it almost looked as if she was…sorry.

"In fifth year." She answered quietly and then got up as I exited the dorm without any explanation except being completely disgusted with my current predicament. She followed me out of the Slytherin quarters and out in the hall where we were met by Professor Snape. I stopped as the Professor stepped in front of us. Hermione stood silently behind us and the Professor looked down at me sternly.

"You were assigned Head Boy because of your grades, Draco, but if you bring girls in to pleasure your teenage hormones then you will not be able to maintain your position." He looked a little uncomfortable discussing this with me but kept a serious face.

"Professor no-" Hermione started trying to defend herself but I cut her off with a smug smile and a callous laugh.

"Professor my fiancé here only shags Weasley." I said coldly and swept past him but not before seeing the horrified looked on my Head of House's face and heard Hermione stamp her foot angrily and try to catch up to me.

"That was uncalled for!" she exclaimed as she was again walking beside me. Her cheeks were flushed and she looked as if she was having difficulty keeping up with me, "We can't marry if we can't discuss things like this!"

I stopped and she stumbled next to me, "I don't want to marry you." I know I sounded cruel and Granger looked at me astonished at the way it sounded and then she was back. The crying girl that had apologized to me was now the annoying know-it-all again as she wrinkled her small nose in disgust and then straightened.

"I don't want to marry you either and I think I know the exact person that could get us out of this mess." I hadn't expected her to say that. Maybe some cursing and name calling but I thought we had been through this. There-was-no-way-out.

"I'm listening." I stated still glaring at her and trying not to look as curious as I felt. Maybe there was a way for me to live my own life. I rubbed my left arm, I reminder of things that I had no choice in doing.

"Dumbledore." She said happily like she had just announced the obvious answer to life's problems. She waited for me to exclaim "genius" or "why didn't I think of that" but I wasn't a Gryffindor and I would never say such ridiculous things.

"No." I said and started again towards the Head dorms. She again had to jog to keep up with my long strides but finally stepped in front of me trying to look defiant.

"No, what do you mean no?" she asked confused and angry that I hadn't agreed with her solution. I looked down at her disheveled form, her hair was sticking to her face because of the sweat produced by the running to keep up with me, her robes were out of sorts, and her blue eyes bored into mine trying to figure out what was going on in my brain.

"I mean: I'm not asking that fool for help!" I said hoping she realized my end-of-conversation tone. She didn't.

"God, you just said that you wanted out of the betrothal and unless you are lying then follow me up to Dumbledore's study!" She glared at me challenging me. I stood my ground my brain fighting with itself. Only Granger could make me so confused at a time that I would have otherwise been so sure of my decision.

_If you don't go she's going to think you want to marry her._

_If you do go then you lose the argument._

_If you don't go you will be stuck with arguments like this forever._

_If you do go there might be a chance of finding a wife that you actually want._

I stared into mid-air trying to figure out whether I should risk going or not but my decision was in the end, not left in my hands.

Hermione evidently thought that it wasn't my choice anymore, "We're going." She said and then before I could protest her words, "Accio Draco's wand!" I felt my want fly of my pocket and into her hand. She stood next to me and gloatingly said, "Will you go willingly or do I need to use force?"


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: If it wasn't for…

I stepped closer to Malfoy raising my wand threateningly, "Do I need to repeat myself, Malfoy?" His eyes hardened but instead of answering me he stepped closer to me and our noses were almost touching, He leaned towards my ear and whispered, "I heard you perfectly, Hermione." he replied huskily as he used my first name. I felt instantly uncomfortable, what was he playing at?

I felt his breath on my skin and felt goose bumps rise upon my neck. I wanted, right then, for Malfoy to perhaps not be himself. I was suddenly confronted with the image of Draco Malfoy and all I knew him to be. Selfish as he pushed aside a third year as he stood in line for Hogsmead, crude as he whistled at a passing Ravenclaw, vindictive as he cursed Ron when he tried to defend me. Had he not be the slimy Slytherin git I knew him to be and had he not taunted me since my adolescence and had I not loathed him in all entirety I might not have felt so utterly vapid as I felt a sudden attraction toward his close proximity. I reasoned with myself that it was purely hormones and that my sudden desire for Draco Malfoy, my well known enemy, to kiss me was totally due to the chemical imbalances that made me human.

The voice inside my head that repeated that we were engaged and it wouldn't be wrong for him to kiss me… just this once was quickly becoming louder as I felt my knees shake temporarily. The anger that had overtaken me a second earlier disappeared completely as I inhaled my former enemy's scent. He smelled like new clothes and after-shave. I was about to give in to my teenage hormones and do something that I had decided long ago was just wrong when just as I was going to inhale another breath of his intoxicating scent, he reached towards my hand which contained his wand and my eyes widened.

At that moment my mind gained back it's usual clarity and I yanked my arm away and looked up at him furious._ What the hell was I doing? Of course, he had a motive! _The embarrassment that followed was enough to make me blush but I regained my composure quickly enough.

"Nice try." I said quietly trying to get my breathing back to normal. I could have kicked myself at that moment. What had I been thinking? This was Draco Malfoy, my childhood enemy. But more importantly before me was a boy that had been deemed a Slytherin Sex God. I should have realized he would try to gain control by using his more unsavory talents. One more minute and I would have done something I would later regret and would have become the laughing stock of the entire school. Falling for Draco Malfoy was not something I was going to do. It was unaccceptable. Not to mention morally demeaning in every way.

"You're an idiot." I said and before he could retort I put a silencing charm on him and then another to carry him to Dumbledore's study. When we got to the revolving gargoyle, I realized I didn't know the password. I tried to think of a method of getting in there but couldn't come up with a solution so I decided to try my luck in guessing.

"Bertie Bott's Every- Flavor Beans?" I tryed but the gargoyle stayed in place.

"Acid Pops? Canary Creams? Fizzing Whizzbees? Ice Mice? Jelly Slugs?" As I said the last sweet name the gargoyle moved and I did a small happy dance to congratulate myself. I soon stopped, however, as I saw Draco's smirking face. I stepped onto the small platform leading Malfoy inside as well.

As soon as it started up I took the charms off Draco but kept his wand safely in my pocket. Who knew what he was capable of doing. Draco stood up to his full height glaring down at me. I looked unwaveringly back at him knowing that he couldn't do anything right outside of Dumbledore's office.

"You're a bitch." he stated in an all knowing voice. I tried to control my sudden anger as he continued to insolently stare down at me. With those few simple words he had gave me a challenge that I couldn't back down from.

"You're an idiot." I countered.

"Know-it-all!"

"Cold-hearted bastard!"

"Prude!"

"Man-whore!"

"Friendless-" Draco stopped mid-insult and we both looked up to find Professor Dumbledore staring down at us. He seemed a bit surprised at our use of words but said nothing about it.

"What seems to be the problem?" he asked. I had been through enough humiliating situations today so that I had finally come to a point where I felt no shame for my behavior so instead of looking sheepish I stared straight into Dumbledore's eyes. My mentor, headmaster, and one of the few people I looked up to.

"We need your help." I said as Draco shook his head stubbornly and mumbled "you do, not me". I glared at him but before I could continue Dumbledore motioned for us to take a seat. I sat down in a plush red chair and waited for Dumbledore to speak as Draco mumbled angrily to himself in the seat next to me.

"I know of your situation but I can't help you, Miss. D'jore." Dumbledore stated, not the answer I had wanted at all, "The Order thinks that this marriage will benefit us greatly and that this marriage will be for the greater good. You can ask anyone of us, we took a vote and it was unanimous. Otherwise, you wouldn't be in this position." I stared at him for a second before speaking still not fully comprehending what he was saying. I didn't dare look at Draco's reaction to what had been said.

"But this is my choice not yours. This could ruin my future, my whole life." I said my voice sounding too steady to my own ears. I couldn't get upset, I needed to convince Dumbledore to help me. That was my only train of thought.

"It is for the greater good." He said as if this answer was what I wanted to hear.

"I know that, but do you even know how this will benefit the Order? This isn't even a sure thing." I looked for some sympathy in his eyes but only found determination for the cause he thought was so right.

"It is the price." I slowly got out of my chair and rose to my feet. My last hope had been taken away from me because of a vote. All my friends had refused to help me, they could have saved me from a life I didn't want to endure, but they hadn't.

"I unfortunately have to detach myself from the Order." I stated my voice shaking now at my decision, "I can't help people that I don't trust or respect or don't trust or respect me. I just can't be apart of the cause anymore. I'm sorry but if I do have to marry into the Malfoy family I can't betray them. A marriage is forever, Professor, even you can agree with that." I walked out of the study not looking back but I felt my body tire as I heard Draco's footsteps behind me but he didn't come up and try to talk to me. My emotions and thoughts were all in disarray and I couldn't get my own words out of my head. Had I just made myself an enemy to the Order?

I soon found myself at the entrance to Head's dorm and entered. I kicked off my shoes and flung myself on the couch. I didn't want to think anymore so I closed my eyes and feel asleep, thinking of nothing and wishing that the whole day hadn't occurred.

Next morning

I opened a sleep-crusted eye and analyzed my surroundings. I was not at home or anywhere I knew well, I was in my day clothes, and I couldn't remember what had happened before I fell asleep. I sat up quickly and got a head rush. I placed a hand on my forehead and stayed still as the images from the day before came flowing back to me.

The confrontation with Harry and Ron, the letter, the announcement of my betrothal, Pansy's father's death, the fight caused from it, and the most important event: my separation from the Order. I felt a headache coming on and held on tightly to the arm of the couch. I heaved a great sigh and remembered that classes started today. I checked the watch positioned on the desk across the room and it said 6:08. I had more than enough time to sleep for at least another hour but I knew I couldn't fall back to asleep.

I walked to my room marked Head Girl and entered it for the first time. The walls were pale green with silver trimming and my bed sheets were gold with red trimming. My room had a desk and closet and a door connecting to the shared bathroom. I looked into my closet and saw all my clothes hung up and looking clean.

I grabbed my uniform and my best pair of Mary Janes. I turned to the bathroom and opened the door making sure Draco wasn't occupying it before I went inside. The bathroom had double cabinets and sinks with a huge bath with a separate place to shower.

The floor felt cool on my warm feet and I quickly undressed and got in the shower. I let the water hit soothingly on my back and quickly used shampoo and conditioner on my hair. I stood there a while longer just standing there, relaxing under the water but I opened my eyes soon enough and turned the water off. I stepped out and dried off quickly feeling the rush of cold air hit me.

I stood in front of the mirror and eyed myself before taking my wand out of my used clothes and muttered a straightening and drying spell on my hair. I conjured a toothbrush and toothpaste before scrubbing my white teeth till I was satisfied with the minty flavor in my mouth and smiled.

Then I heard the side door creep slowly open and quickly lunged at it and kept it shut. "I'm in here!" I exclaimed loudly but got no response but finally I heard a muffled, "I need coffee." and retreating footsteps. I let go of the door and went back to getting ready before exiting the bathroom and going back into my room.

I dropped my clothes on the floor and grabbed my satchel filled my summer assignments and a few unread books that might be needed in my spare time. I started to double-check everything when I heard angry yells coming from the common room and I went out to investigate.

I almost went back inside of my room when I saw who Draco was arguing with. Ron. I took a step back but they had already turned their eyes towards me. I wasn't sure how to act in front of my former-friend but I knew I couldn't act like his presence bothered me even though it did.

"Do you need something?" I asked him and went to sit on the couch where they were both standing still looking angry.

"Yes, Harry said that you still had his sweater, the one that my mom made for him last year." He avoided my eyes by glaring at Draco.

"I gave it back to him two months before school ended." I stated trying to catch his eyes but he still stared determinedly at Draco. I switched my glance at my fiancée and saw his disheveled bed hair and his barely open eyes. He was only in his boxers but I trained myself at the spot on his chin where some coffee had dripped.

Then it started to bother me. The stupid particle of coffee that just rested there, taunting me that something was out of place. Then before I knew what I was doing, I had jumped up and wiped it off his chin surprising both the boys. Draco rubbed his chin again and smirked while Ron's face grew red.

"It was bothering me." I stated blushing slightly but I had told the truth. Draco turned his smirking face to Ron whose face was growing increasingly redder. Then as I knew he would, Ron exploded.

"Hermione!" he exclaimed, "What is _wrong_ with you? You're going to marry Malfoy and you just _touched_ him. You never wiped Harry or _my_ chin when food was on it! What happened to you?" Draco looked tauntingly at me and smiled.

"Yeah, Hermione, why did you wipe my chin?" he asked in an innocent voice.

"I told you already, _Malfoy._ And Ron, we aren't friends anymore, remember the incident on the train or did you already forget, so you can't tell me what I can or can't do! Plus, how do you know this is really me, I mean, 'Hermione couldn't be that pretty'" I said repeating his hurtful words from the train.

"I don't want to be friends with you anyway! I don't even know why I even dated you. God, if I wasn't for…" he trailed off grudgingly and turned to leave.

"If it wasn't for what, Ronald?" I asked icily and Draco took a seat on the couch looking amused at the scene.

Ron turned back to me looking smug, "If I hadn't just broken up with Padama, and if Seamus hadn't told me you were an excellent shag despite your ugly features, I wouldn't have even asked you out!" he replied coldly. I looked at him in horror before slapping him across the face and hexing him. He turned red and then blue and then orange. He glared at me holding his hand to his cheek.

"I regret saving you from that troll." He said scathingly.

"I regret ever meeting you!" I screamed as he existed out of the portrait hole. I closed my eyes and breathed deeply before hearing Draco chuckling behind me and I opened my eyes and tried not to not attack him.

"What the hell is so funny?" I asked turning to glare at him. He stopped chuckling and turned to me still looking amused.

"I get to see exactly what Weasel meant because of that charm my dearest father performed." He smiled as I remembered the charm that Lucius had performed at me during dinner. I scowled and sat down on the couch facing him. My morning had just turned from bad to worse.

"Don't you have any morals? Any respect for me? If we are going to marry shouldn't you at least let me decide when we first make love?" I asked mustering my best fake sweet voice and hoping Draco would for once be a gentleman.

"You can decide when we first make love but I get to decide when we first have sex." He said with a smirk and then headed in the bathroom as I glared at his back.

How was I ever going to get out of having sex with Malfoy. I heaved a big sigh, it seems as my day was going to go downhill from here. At least nothing could be as bad as yesterday, and today I had my classes to look forward to. I could think of something to change Draco's mind during the day, I had a lot of time. I wasn't the smartest witch of our age for nothing.

**I hope you liked this chapter. I made this chapter a little longer than the rest…two pages longer on Microsoft Word. Keep on reviewing for me and I'll keep on writing! -**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Standing up for a Gryffindor

I walked confidently into the Great Hall ignoring the murmuring that soon surrounded me as I entered. My marriage announcement yesterday was obviously the center of gossip, that and the fact that Hermione had refused to have sex with me in front of everybody. A minor setback. But that would soon change, after classes she would be begging me to shag her. I might not even need to use the spell because the Malfoy charm never failed, never.

I sat down next to Blaise who was looking seriously at his soup. He noticed I was a there and looked up his face sullen, "What's wrong, mate?" I asked only a hint of concern in my voice. I knew Blaise could take care of himself.

"Rumors that I am shagging my cousin and your wife." He paused for my reaction but I said nothing, "When I walked into the Slytherin dorms with her yesterday, the people in the common room thought I was bringing her in there to bed her and then she walked out with you which meant that they thought were all well…ya' know."

I stared at him and then started to laugh, "Did you explain to them that she was your cousin?" Blaise shook his head and said that it was no use. All of a sudden an angry, shrill voice cut through all of the voices in the Great Hall, "I DID NOT HAVE A THREESOME WITH DRACO MALFOY AND MY_ COUSIN_, BLAISE ZAMBINI. PARVARTI, HOW COULD YOU EVEN THINK THAT OF ME!" I chuckled. I knew exactly who had just lost their temper. _I just can't wait to marry her, _I thought sarcastically.

I saw Blaise shake his head but a smile appeared on his face, "Well, now that's taken care of…" He started to dig into his food and I did the same. Soon after we got our schedule from Snape and he gave me a weird look but otherwise said nothing. I read through it and heaved a sigh, I had three classes with the Gryffindors and more importantly Hermione.

I turned to look for Pansy but she wasn't anywhere in the Great Hall so I set off for my first class: Potions. As I descended towards the dungeons I pondered over how I was finally going to get Hermione in the sack. I had contemplated for a while just letting it alone, not bothering to try and waiting for our wedding day. But it would be a year before that was a possibility and that is a long time to go without a good lay. Besides Granger was obviously no virgin so I wouldn't be tainting her innocent facade or anything, the only real problem was her hatred and disgust that she seemed to save only for me. But I knew that even Granger had to have needs and I was sure that if she went out with Weasley I would only be an improvement.

I smugly went inside the classroom with that thought floating in my mind and saw a few Gryffindors already present, including Potter and Weasley and that is when I realized that I was the only Slytherin there.

_Don't panic...if they attack you, just hex them._ I continued to my usual seat on the other side of the room and pretended to be unperturbed at the fact that I was alone with a bunch of bloody Gryffindors. I saw Potter and Weasley get out of their seats and head over to where I was sitting._ Shit…_

"Well, what a surprise to meet you here, Malfoy." said Weasley with a sneer. Potter stood behind him not saying anything but looking broody about something.

"Not really, Weasley. I've had this class with you idiots since first year." I said trying to be my same confident self. Weasley scowled but Potter still said nothing which was unlike him seeing as he always had some stupid comment to contribute.

"Are you really going to marry Hermione?" he blurted out a trace of nervousness edged into his voice. Weasley looked at him looking curious, this had not been part of their plan.

"No, I'm not, I had my parents announce to the whole school that I was going to marry Hermione as an elaborate ruse." I said in a serious voice which made both of them scowl. I guess they caught the sarcasm.

"You just called her Hermione. What happened to calling her a lowly, dirty mudblood, Malfoy?" asked the red-haired idiot while scar-head stood, hands on hips, looking expectantly at me for the answer.

"Usually when you are about to marry someone you have to call them by their first name…" I said slowly as if they couldn't understand this if I said it a normal speed, which they probably couldn't.

"You better not touch her Malfoy!" Weasley exclaimed red in the face like he had been earlier this morning. Potter grabbed a hold of his arm trying to calm him down.

"If sex is considered touching her then you're a little too late, unlike you fairies, I know how to get a good shag." I said with a smirk and then Potter let go of Ron's arm and whipped out his wand but mine was already at the ready.

"Let's not to do anything foolish, Potter." I drawled in an unaffected tone.

"Shut-up Malfoy, you good for nothing wanker." Weasley hissed pointing his own wand at me and waving it around threateningly. I scowled and stood still, noticing all of the Gryffindors had turned their attention towards us and were starting to laugh at my predicament. Nothing was more amusing than a trapped Slytherin. Although, it seemed they were out of luck because at that moment Blaise, Hermione, and Pansy walked through the door. It was a weird sighting but they were going to be my salvation. Blaise and Pansy both reacted quickly getting their wands out of their robes. Hermione hesitated for a second before also getting her wand out.

"Wand down, Weasley or you'll be hexed into oblivion!" said Pansy angrily and I couldn't stop the smug smile that found its way onto my face. Pansy would destroy Weasley.

"You too, Potter." added Blaise with a hint of arrogance in his voice. He smirked at me as they both lowered their wands. I waited for Hermione to do or say something but she said nothing. They both glanced at Hermione in an 'I can't believe you're with them' look but started to head back to the Gryffindor side of the room where people were staring at Hermione in awe. She hadn't helped her two best friends since first year. The world was coming to an end.

"What is your problem, Hermione?" called Dean Thomas looking at her as if she disgusted him. Hermione turned a light shade of red and seemed to be at a loss for words.

"You better not be talking to my cousin like that, Thomas!" warned Blaise his wand still out threateningly.

"Blaise, its okay. Dean doesn't know that my friends want nothing to do with me this year because I was of no further use to them." said Hermione with a glare at the two boys. The whole class turned their attentions to the subjects in question and a few more Slytherins came in joining in staring at the idiots.

"That's a lie!" shouted Potter with his usual 'holier than thou' expression, "Hermione said that since she was a pureblood now she didn't want to hang out with a lowly half-blood and a poor Weasley."

"I would never say that!" Hermione cried out indignantly. I couldn't believe that Saint Potter had just lied about what happened. This was the boy that was supposed to save wizarding kind? Our savior? I couldn't take this. It was one thing for them to ridicule Granger, but I was tired of letting everyone thing that Potter was some kind of faultless hero.

"Well, Potter, we all known my wife to be and I were never really on good terms but even I'm not as big as an arsehole as to lie about her when she's standing right in front of me. No wonder you're not in Slytherin, you can't lie to save your pathetic life."

I turned my gaze to the curious Gryffindors, "What your little savior has failed to tell you is that he has stopped being friends with Granger and she has been crying about it ever since. She's been going on and on about how she hoped Potter and Weasley would understand her situation about her heritage but instead her best friends just said that she would get in they way of their plans. And aren't Gryffindors supposed to be loyal? Your precious Potter is a little liar and as hard as this is for me to tell you Hermione Granger actually doesn't deserve to be called a liar. Especially now that she's going to be a Malfoy…besides it's obvious who the better person has always been at this school. Potter wouldn't be famous if it wasn't for Granger. Think about it really hard, who is a better person? Potter or Granger?"

The room grew silent, I think I had just made history. A Slytherin standing up for a Gryffindor was unheard of. Hermione looked at me like I was another person entirely. Had I really just stood up for the annoying know-it-all? Of course, it was all because she was going to become a Malfoy meaning that I did it for myself and not for her. So everything was still as had been before. I wasn't going soft or falling in love with Hermione. I had long ago realized that was unacceptable even if she was going to become my wife, to me she would always be Hermione Granger, the buck-toothed side kick of Potter who seemed to always beat me in every class.

"Malfoy's right." said Lavender Brown, "Without Hermione, Harry wouldn't be alive, and she is the one always helping us all out. What has Harry done? Fight Voldemort but only with help from Hermione every time even when she was petrified in second year. Imagine what would have happened without her? Sure, she sometimes has a bad temper but she is always caring so I think we should respect her even if she is going to marry Malfoy…"

"I agree with Lavender." said Parvarti with a smile towards Hermione. Hermione smiled back and the rest of the girls present murmured their agreement. The boys stayed silent and said nothing.

"I'm on Harry' side." said Thomas with a grin towards Potter who smirked in return, "I mean the whole prophecy is about the boy-who-lived, it said nothing of some girl that keeps him alive." The rest of the boys murmured their agreement with this statement and the girls scowled.

"Well, none of you are getting laid this year." said one of the prettier Gryffindor girls with a smirk, "I always found the other houses cuter anyway." The girls giggled and turned haughtily away from the Gryffindor boys who looked horrified.

"The other houses will still be willing!" exclaimed Seamus Finnigan seeming to be trying to convince himself. I smirked, not the Slytherins.

"Not the Slytherins." said Pansy voicing my thoughts aloud.

"I will tell my sister to tell the other Ravenclaw girls about this encounter." said Parvarti with a smile towards Pansy who nodded approvingly. The rest of the girls giggled and laughed at the boy's reaction to these statements.

"That means Hufflepuff." I said smirking, "you get the lowly leftovers." I said laughing and the rest of the Slytherins and some Gryffindor girls laughed with me. It was true, the Hufflepuffs were not touched by other houses, especially not the Slytherins. Then suddenly Snape came billowing in the classroom with a look of disgust on his face.

"In your seats now!" he shouted as the all of the students went to their seats. I sat down and Blaise and Pansy sat beside me as always. To my ultimate surprise, Hermione took a seat with Parvarti and Lavender in row in front of ours. A clear part of the Slytherin side. Snape looked at them confused but started his lesson without commentary. He wouldn't insult her now that she was going to become a Malfoy.

By the time the class was over, Neville had successfully turned his potion into a solid form and the Slytherin girls hadn't taunted the Gryffindor girls that had intruded into out territory. They had actually asked Hermione for help on a certain section _and_ she had actually showed them how to do it. _This is weird._ I slowly made my way to my next class which was Herbology but as I got to the end of the hall Hermione stood in front of me blocking my way there.

"Can I ask you something?" she asked nervously.

"What?" I asked trying to sound irritated even though I wasn't. She clucked her tongue on the roof on her mouth and then suddenly stopped.

"Why did you do it?" she asked meekly. The clucking started again and she put both her hands inside of her robe pockets.

"Do what?" I asked even though I knew exactly what she was asking. She was kind of cute when she did that. I shook my head, actually it was just annoying. Not cute at all.

"Why did you stand up for me in front of everybody?" she asked not sounding so nervous but actually sort of annoyed.

"Malfoy's can't be accused of lying. I needed to protect your title." I said in one quick sweep of words. I wondered why I had rushed this all out, it was the truth after all.

Hermione looked a little confused but then broke into a smile. She had never smiled at me before and she looked…prett-I mean she looked just like she always does.

"Thank you, Draco Malfoy." She said and then she kissed me on the cheek and walked off to her next class. I had the sudden urge to touch the spot where her lips had been a second before. I felt like running after her and locking her in a passionate kiss which we would both want to never end. There were two problems with that: Malfoys didn't run and I always wanted a kiss to end so that it could get to the good part. I smirked feeling like my old self again but I also had a weird feeling tugging at me. Like what I was feeling wasn't all wrong. Hermione was supposed to be one of my enemies so why did I want to even touch her at all. Why did I keep…thinking about her?

_Because, maybe you like her. _The annoying voice has appeared to torment me.

_I hate her. I just need to uphold the Malfoy name._

_Whatever you say…_


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Misinterpretations

The first time I had the chance to actually think of my actions after Potions was when I was eating lunch with Ginny. She was unusually quiet but then again so was I. The same thought kept floating up inside my mind. _Why did you kiss him? _ Even if I had kissed him on the cheek I hadn't been obligated to, sure I was grateful but kissing him was taking it a little too far. He had done more wrongs towards me than anything else after all.

When I had asked him the reason for his actions I had thought he was embarrassed and made up the whole 'uphold the Malfoy name' thing but when I reviewed it again in mind, I noticed I had barely ever seen Draco embarrassed. Then it hit me right there in mid-swallow of my pumpkin juice that it was: To-get-me-into-bed! Of course, he knew that being a jerk wouldn't work so he had gone for the being nice and charming method but had given it a twist so that it seemed like he was embarrassed when it was all part of his master plan! The conniving little git!

Did he really think he could outwit me, Hermione D'jore, pureblood heiress of the D'jore fortune that kept a whole corridor gold in Gringotts? My face must have been a sign of my anger and determination because Ginny's concerned voice woke me out of my mental rant.

"Hermione, are you okay?" she asked, pushing her long red hair out of her face and behind her ears.

"I'm fine, but you seemed a little quiet this afternoon, are you not telling me something?" I asked trying to veer the subject off me and onto her because I didn't want to have to tell Ginny about how I had willingly kissed Draco Malfoy after my rant in the carriage the day before.

"Well," said Ginny with a nervous glance to the other occupants in the room also chatting, "You promise not to tell anyone?"

"Who am I going to tell?" I told her with an exasperated grin. _You're my only friend, really._ In the past I might have told Harry who would have in turn told Ron but now that hypothetical ship has sailed and the only person I could ever think of getting into a deep conversation with is Ginny.

She gave me a nervous grin in response and finally spoke, "This morning after breakfast I took Harry aside and told him it was over and he didn't take it very well."

"I'm so proud of you, Ginny. That git doesn't deserve you." I said and she seemed to be disbelieving in my statement because she looked back down at her plate full of mashed potatoes and chicken, "Why do you look so put out? Have you changed your mind?"

"It's just Harry said that the only reason he had gone out with me in the first place was because I was Ron's sister and that otherwise he wouldn't have looked twice had me. He said that I was an ordinary girl who would only get an ordinary life with a mediocre guy. That I was nothing special, it was a wonder why I hadn't gone into a deep depression yet." she said the last part as if she was considering this.

"Ginny you are one of the most popular girls that I had the fortune to meet. That was just one boy's idiotic opinion." She sighed and just shook her head still disbelieving. My eyes looked over to where Harry was sitting looking overly happy as a blonde girl from Hufflepuff smiled back at him with a sultry grin.

"I bet you I could get you a date….with a Slytherin." I grinned evilly. Everyone knew that Slytherins didn't date Gryffindors and they never gave pity dates so Ginny couldn't accuse me of convincing someone that felt bad for her.

"You'll never be able to do it." She said with a smug look towards their table. The Slytherins was a house that didn't interact much with other houses so usually it was an impossible task. Although, I had a few tricks up my sleeves like Blaise being my cousin that Ginny has obviously forgot about. _Ginny Weasley, you are in for one heck of a surprise! _I got up from the Gryffindor table and headed straight towards the Slytherin one turning many heads but I ignored them and just kept my mind on the goal.

Once I got there most of the Slytherins had turned their attention towards me but I took a seat next to Draco and they went back to their food, obviously finding nothing of interest. Draco looked at me annoyed at interrupting him in a place that he and I both knew I didn't belong.

"What do you want?" he asked rudely and to the point._ No hi, good afternoon, or anything just 'what do you want?'_ I had the urge to make a sarcastic remark about this but held my tongue, I needed him to help me with this.

"I want to know if you could find any Slytherins willing to date one of my friends." I tried to not sound embarrassed when I said this but I couldn't help it when a red tinge appeared on my cheeks. It sounded so stupid when I said it like that but I still had resolve.

"Are you kidding me?" he asked laughing, "Like I would ever offer any of my friends to be tortured in that way. I thought you were smarter than that." I looked at him in amazement, this guy was a real chameleon. One minute he was defending me and the next he was insulting me and my friends.

"Is that the way you feel about me, tortured?" I asked trying to keep my temper while also wanting to strangle him so he could get it through his stupid head that his stupid friends were just as good as mine.

"Well, now that you mention it…" he said smirking. _Asshole._ I turned away from him not even waiting for his answer because it was obvious what the rest of the sentence would have been. Talk about giving me mixed signals. I was too proud after that comment to even try to convince him to help me. So, I went to the next best thing. I saw Blaise in the seat across from me and smiled at him.

"Hello, Blaise." I said sweetly. He looked a bit put off at my too sweet tone of voice and took a bit of his food and swallowed before responding.

"What do you want?" _Do all Slytherins have such bad manners?_

"I was wondering if you know any Slytherins that would be willing to date one of my best Gryffindor friends." I said hoping and praying his answer was nothing like Draco's answer: stupid. He looked down at his plate and then up again.

"I couldn't subject my friends to date Parvarti or Lavender! Their nightmares, those girls have letting go problems. You should have seen Theo (**A/N his last name is Nott, it's in** **the HP books, for those who didn't know**) after his breakup with Parvarti, he had to spend a whole week in the hospital wing after some complex hex she performed."

I tried not to look offended at him insulting my other close Gryffindor friends and tried to focus on him getting a date for Ginny, "It's neither of those two. It's another friend." I neglected to tell him her name in case that mattered. I mean, it probably wouldn't anyway.

"Why is she so desperate?" he asked.

"She just broke up with this guy and he kind of said some things about her that she didn't take well. She really is a great girl but she thinks I can't get her a Slytherin to date." I neglected to tell him that this guy was Harry Potter but a few kept secrets wouldn't hurt.

"You probably couldn't but…maybe I'll go if you answer one question." he said glancing at the Gryffindor table.

"What?" I asked hoping he wouldn't ask her name or something that would convince him to back out of the date.

"Is she at least decent looking?" he asked and I almost laughed at his sheepish look, he looked scared at my reaction to this but I took it in good stride. Ginny was very pretty and I had never heard a guy or girl that said otherwise.

"She is decent." I answered keeping him a little in the dark so that he wouldn't inquire more. If he wanted to know the color of her hair or something the whole thing would be ruined.

I felt like telling him that he was lucky to get a date with Ginny but I would wait for Ginny to tell him that because if he acted like he was acting now he would definitely get an earful. Ginny might, at the moment, have low self-esteem but she wouldn't let other people know that, she was no push-over.

"So, come to the head dorms at 8 to pick her up?" I asked him.

"Sure, see you at 8." I left the table and stuck out my tongue childishly at Malfoy who glared at me in response and then started a heated conversation with Blaise. _I showed him!_ As I walked back to the Gryffindor table I could feel her eyes drilling into mine but I pretended to be interested in the enchanted ceiling that shone a sunny sky with fluffy white clouds.

"So…?" asked Ginny as soon as I sat down. Her light blue eyes were nervous and shifty while the rest of her face was oddly calm. I guess it was true that your eyes where the window to your soul, at least in Ginny's case.

"I got you a date." I said triumphantly and with a smirk good enough to rally Malfoy. She looked at me trying to find the bluff somewhere in my words but seemed to find nothing out of the ordinary.

"Who is it, then?" she inquired letting some of her nervousness leak into her face as she bit her bottom lip. I wondered if it was better if she just found out on her own. Would she really be up to dating a Zambini or would it not matter to her. I decided to just keep it a secret until later tonight when she had no way out.

It was cruel but Ginny could be stubborn and irrational at times and I would like to see the outcome of the couple. Probably more for my own amusement than for their benefit, Blaise needed to be pulled down a notch anyway. He was almost as bad as Draco and Ginny would be just the person to burst his overly pompous bubble.

"After your last class come over to the head's dorm and I'll help you get ready. He is coming at 8." _That will give Draco no chance to catch be alone._ I patted my back at my sudden stoke of brilliance as Ginny nodded and we both headed off to our last classes of the day.

Later that day

After classes me and Ginny met up at the Gryffindor tower and then headed over to the Head's dorm where unfortunately Draco was there sitting on the couch seeming to be waiting for something or someone perhaps. I avoided his eyes as I led Ginny up the stairs and into my room where she stood in awe for a second before going over to my bed and sitting down testing its bounciness.

"So, what's going on with you and Malfoy?" she asked lying down on the bed and giving a relaxed sigh as she felt the softness of the comforter. I felt my face redden slightly but was confused as to why. There was defiantly nothing going on between Draco and me besides the fact that we were soon to be married, other than that nothing.

"Nothing, we still despise each other and it isn't going to change anytime soon. We were enemies for the longest time and I haven't forgotten the horrible things that he has done in the past."

"Don't you think it would be better if you at least called a truce, it would be the logical thing to do and I know you, Hermione, are all about logic." I felt her eyes stare intently at my back as I got out the different make-ups I obtained for my birthdays over the years from my 'Aunt' Christine. She was a muggle fashion designer and always seemed to have the need to change something about my appearance. I placed them all in groups stalling for time.

"I don't want him to have the upper hand in our marriage and this will defiantly shows me as the weaker person. Draco and his whole family are all about control and I don't want to become like one of their many puppets. My life has been like one big puppet show and I don't want that anymore." I rested my eyes on anywhere but Ginny throughout this little speech.

"But Hermione…you do know that your feelings towards him are already changing." Those words brought my eyes towards her and I felt like she had just insulted me._ What does she mean? I feel the same way towards him as I had before I came to Hogwarts._ Although, a tugging thought kept entering my mind, that what I was telling myself was just plain wrong. That I wasn't admitting the truth, but logically me having any sort of good feelings towards Draco was impossible with our past history.

"I feel the same way towards Draco as I have since I first started Hogwarts." I said dismissively I didn't like the way this conversation was going at all.

"Hermione, you called him Draco and I'm pretty sure we all called him Malfoy before." She said walking towards me and putting a hand on the small of my back. I couldn't believe it but I had started calling him by his first name, probably when I first met his parents because calling him by his last name would have seemed rude. _But why hadn't I stopped?_

"Ginny, I had to please his parents and every time I say the name Malfoy it reminds me of Harry and Ron and I, how we used to call him that together. I know it's stupid..." This was a lie but if I hadn't said this Ginny might think that I suddenly had feelings for Malfoy. I mean, that idea is ludicrous.

"Oh." She said and we said nothing more on the matter after that instead settling on other topics in the wizarding world.

By seven we decided we better start getting Ginny ready for her first get-over-Harry date. We left her hair curly but put some materials in it to make it have an extra shine and then did a spell on the muggle make-up to work it's wonders on Ginny's face without our help and finally we needed to pick out her outfit.

The first choice was lime green shirt with a jean skirt but the skirt was a little too low for both of our tastes. The second and third outfits were too frilly and puffy looking and the fourth had a ripped seam but finally on the fifth try we settled on some boot cut jeans and long embroidered white cami, with flat heeled boots. Ginny looked nervous but her eyes were bluer than I had ever seen them.

"Won't you please tell me who my date is going to be?" she asked only a quarter to eight and getting more nervous as the time for her date lurked nearer. I looked at her nervous form and decided that it was now or never because she might freak out a bit if she found out whom her date was while he was there.

"IgotyouadatewithBlaiseZambini." I muttered in one quick sweep of words but obviously not quick enough because Ginny suddenly jumped up and glared at me.

"Are you serious?" she asked her hands on her hips and her mother's temper coming out in her.

"Yes, just be grateful I didn't pick Crabbe or Goyle." I said meeting her temper with my own. I could be stubborn too, and she needed to take that fact into account before engaging with verbal sparring.

"Are you saying that I'm low enough to date those two dumb bats?"

"Are you saying your too good for my cousin?" I retorted not really caring for the answer just stalling for time because maybe Blaise didn't deserve Ginny because she was such a sweet, loving person and he was…Blaise but I wasn't going to tell her that "Besides, its just a measly date. It's not like you have to marry him." Ginny's face softened at this remembering my predicament and she sat back down.

"He is just so like Malfoy in his prejudices, making fun of my family's poor wealth. I mean I can't believe that he agreed to go on a date with me." She said her voice low and her mind probably remembering the times she was taunted by other people because of her lack of money.

"Yeah, about that he doesn't exactly know that he's going on a date with you, in particular, just a Gryffindor girl." I said sheepishly and her head sharply came up again her eyes blazing with amazement at my audacity at keeping so much from her.

"Hermione!" she exclaimed and suddenly Draco came up from the common room looking at us in obvious amusement.

"Blaise is here and he was wondering who his date was so I might have let it slip and he said you owe him and explanation." Draco smirked and walked back downstairs and Ginny looked at me sternly and then at the entrance to the common room.

"An explanation? What is that suppose to mean?" she walked defiantly towards the common room and I followed her. _Blaise obviously doesn't know Ginny's temper very well._

In the common room sitting patiently was Draco and Blaise was standing next to him looking more than a bit put-off and then Ginny came and his eyes zeroed in on her and he seemed to be rethinking his previous train of thought.

"I didn't know you were going to be my date either so don't act all high and mighty and think I begged Hermione in getting me a date with the great Zambini Asshole!" said Ginny furious.

He looked at me and I looked back at him amused and feeling a little sorry I got him into this, "You never asked me her name." I said and then Ginny turned to me.

"I mean, Zambini, really do you think I could ever be happy with a git that probably doesn't have a clue about…well… anything?" she raised an eyebrow at me trying to make it look like she was insulting me when the blow was really meant for Blaise.

"Are you calling me thick?" he asked finally and edge in his voice, "I didn't say anything about you I just said that Hermione owed me an explanation of which Gryffindor I was going to date."

Ginny looked at him and then at Draco, "But you said that…"

"I said I might have let it slip. I didn't say I actually told him." said Draco with a smirk and I felt like slapping him. Was this revenge for my accomplishment in getting Blaise to date Ginny in the first place?

"Oh," Ginny looked embarrassed and she turned to Blaise, "Your friend's the asshole then. I'm sorry about the yelling." Blaise looked confused but I gave him a quick look and he nodded as a way to signify he accepted.

"So, you better get on your date." I said prompting Ginny with a shove in Blaise's direction.

"Now?" asked Ginny and I looked at her as if saying 'now or never'. She glared at me and then looked up at Blaise who smiled a cheeky smile and led her out of the room but not without one last 'you owe me' look in my direction.

Then I realized that I was finally alone with Draco Malfoy. I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye thinking maybe he forgot the spell, maybe I had worried for nothing. Maybe, I could just go up to my room and read until I was tired and then sleep.

"So, I'm going to my bedroom now." I said and then walked up to my room and closed the door. I gave a happy sigh as I landed on my bed and stretched with a yawn. I was in the safety zone, Draco had forgotten! _Yippee!_

Suddenly the door creaked open and Draco came into my room, "You know you didn't have to ask me to come up to your room, I wouldn't have forgotten." He said with a smirk.

"I didn't invite you." I said nervously and I got off my bed and sat down at my desk to avoid any misinterpretations.

"Of course you did." He said, "I'm going to my bedroom now is code for I want you to come too." he said. I had never heard that before and wasn't altogether sure that it was true but what I was certain of was that I had to find some way to get Draco out of my room, and fast.

**Thank you for reviewing because I love your comments. This chapter is longer than all the rest and I hope you like it! Keep reviewing,plzzz!**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Another guy's name

I stared intently at Hermione wanting to make her nervous about what was about to take place next but I realized that my mere presence in her room had already done that job well enough. As soon as I entered in there she had gotten off her bed and sat on a chair next to her desk obviously hinting to me that there was absolutely no way that _anything_ was happening tonight. But I was here to prove her wrong.

"I didn't know there were codes for words, Draco." She said in a determined voice obviously trying to take control of the situation, "But I would like to be left by myself at the moment so could you leave?"

"But you can't have any fun by yourself." I said towering over her now and the end result being her looking resolutely down at her hands and not looking me in the eyes. She was obviously thinking of a way to get herself out of this situation, she was smart but not smart enough to get out of this. I had done background research on the spell my father had performed and the only way she could avoid this experience was if my father took the spell off or if I decided not to use it, neither of those things were going to happen.

"But-" I cut her off now getting slightly irritated at her trying to stall for time. I had never been a patient person, and I wasn't about to start changing now.

"Enough, talking." I said my voice strong and sure, "Time to see if my father's spell works." I crashed my lips onto hers before she could come up with a reply and I felt her resist but slowly as my intentions were made clearer to her I could feel the spell taking control forcing Hermione against her will to kiss me back. The more she resisted the more passionate the kiss became.

I got her to stand up from the chair and led her over to here bed. When our lips finally separated I murmured quietly in her ear, "The more you resist the more the spell will take over." Then suddenly she kissed _me_, finally coming to her senses and realizing obviously what kind of opportunity was right in front of her. I tried not to look surprised as she started to unbutton my shirt and realized that like in all situations she was in she was trying to regain control.

I pushed her off me and started to kiss her neck making her sigh quietly and then she said something that made me pause, "_Oh, Ron._" I hovered over her replaying her words in my mind. This had never happened to be before, never in my life had a woman muttered another guy's name while we were shagging.

"_What did you just say?"_ I said staring straight in the eyes hoping for her to say something that would make sense, not Weasley's name. She looked back at me innocently and I rolled over on my side.

"Opps." She murmured quietly and I felt a sudden feeling of rage suddenly engulf me, she had just murmured her ex-boyfriend's name and all she could say was _"opps."_ I got off her bed and stormed into my room kicking my bed in the process and adding to my feelings of fury as my toe started to throb. My mind whirled with many confused thoughts all of them trying to figure out why in the world Hermione would think of Weasley while she was going to shag with the Slytherin Sex God!

I realized that I needed to talk to someone so that they could maybe explain this to me but realized that Blaise was on a date and we had made a pact long ago that when there was even a possibility of getting a good shag that we couldn't bother the other person for any reason whatsoever, I think this situation fell under that category. So, I decided that I had to go to the next best person for the job: Pansy.

I pulled on my robe and headed out into the halls. The corridors were dimly lit as I made my way to the Slytherin dungeons and I couldn't help but shutter at the eerie atmosphere, even though I had been coming down here all through my years at Hogwarts the corridors at night still put me slightly on my guard as if someone would jump out and try to hex me. I quickened my pace and found myself outside the Slytherin common room and muttered, "Unforgivable curses." Which was the current Slytherin password.

I surveyed the common room and realized that Pansy was nowhere to be found so I had to try to get up to the Slytherin girl dorms. I walked over to the stairs and yelled, "Pansy!" and when I received no answer, "PANSY, GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE!" A few Slytherins stared at me but I glared back at them and they quickly pretended to go back to studying. A few seconds later an enraged Pansy came downstairs but upon seeing me her pissed off mood suddenly turned to a curious one.

"What is it that is so important?" she asked irritated, "That you had to interrupt me while I was finally getting Arlene to help me with my Transfiguration homework?"

"We have to talk somewhere private." I hissed glancing at the other people in the room making Pansy raise a perfectly waxed eyebrow.

"What is with you?" she said as I dragged her up to the boy's dorms and shut the door as I realized that all of the occupants were already outside. I sat down on one of the beds, my head in my hands and Pansy stood next to me quietly. Waiting for me to explain what I gotten me so messed up.

"Okay, remember at dinner yesterday how Hermione had yelled out how she was going to hold out on me for a long, long time?" I asked my voice ruff and irritated just at the memory of the night before.

"Yeah, I remember." She said trying to hide a smirk but failing.

"Well, my father heard and when we tried to cover up with that lame family recipe excuse he said that if that was true then he could perform a spell on Hermione that basically said if I wanted to get laid she would have to…well you know." I said awkwardly.

"Draco, don't tell me you actually tried to use it on her? That could seriously mess up your relationship for the rest of your life. Hermione is someone that you don't want to mess with, especially in that particular way. That is just unforgivable; I can't believe Lucius did that!" Pansy ranted obviously not taking lightly to the fact of a woman not being able to be able to say_ no_.

"Are you done?" I asked dryly and she nodded her head now looking as irritated as myself, "Well, I had used it tonight, I wasn't going to go through with it if she didn't give in-"

"How would you know if she gave in or not?" Pansy cut in. I narrowed my eyes at her skepticism.

"I told her that the more she resisted the more the spell would overtake her and she was all into 'it' until." I paused feeling uncomfortable Pansy motioned for me to continue, "So it was going okay until she said something that jus threw me…" I trailed off there not wanting to admit what had happened.

"What did you call you a weird name or something?" Pansy scoffed obviously not impressed by my crisis, "You were always so picky with names."

"She said 'oh, Ron'." I whispered and Pansy looked up obviously surprised and then she shook her head signaling that I was wrong. She seemed to be arguing with herself like many people often did and she finally looked at me with an amused smile, she knew something that I had missed.

"You are so stupid." She said rolling her eyes like she always does when she knows something that somebody else doesn't know, "She obviously tricked you. I mean do you really think she would yell out Weasley's name on accident; you underestimate her and always have. As soon as you told her how the spell worked her mind went into overload obviously filled with the need to show you that she knew more than you. Even in this subject." Pansy chuckled and I felt my head go up quickly at her words.

"I still have time for the spell." I checked the clock on the wall, "It's only ten." I said with a smirk and headed towards the door.

"No." Pansy said her wand out in front of her and pointing directly at my chest, I stared down at her condescendingly daring her to use her wand but she stared right back at me obviously not at all intimidated by my fierce look.

"_What_?" I asked stepping again towards the door, now Pansy held her wand right at the nape of my neck. She glared and I mimicked her.

"If you want to have Hermione she has to have a choice in the matter. You can go back to your common room but I'm going with you!" I rolled my eyes and exited the room Pansy following in my wake. I stomped down the corridors leaving her huffing as she tried to catch up with me. _ I can't believe her, she is trying to stop me from enjoying a very excellent opportunity and it's not like it affects her at all. I didn't even know she liked Hermione…_

I got to my common room and went straight towards Hermione's bedroom when I heard yelling. I looked at Pansy curiously forgetting for the moment my frustrations at her unusual behavior and opened the door to my wife-to-be's room. The sight in front of me made me stop for a moment.

The female Weasley was yelling at my best mate like a banshee and Blaise, having lost his composure also (which is very unlike a Slytherin) was yelling right back at her. It was hard to catch what they were saying but I caught an "idiot!" a "How could you use me like that?" and the ever famous "go to hell."

Pansy and I stared on until I finally came to my senses and realized that this was bad for a Slytherins' reputation, "Blaise…" I said not raising my voice over the yelling but nonetheless he heard me and looked shocked at my mere presence in the room and then ashamed as he realized what he had been doing. I stared at him in a 'what are you doing?' kind of way and he shook his head, gave one last glare to Weasley and stomped towards my bedroom. Pansy stayed still as I glared at Hermione who had been sitting on the bed and then exited to find Blaise.

In my room he sat on the bed his head in his hands and he kept sighing loudly to himself, "Worst date ever?" I asked mockingly. He needed someone to remind him that his behavior was unacceptable even if it was in front of people that we could most likely trust.

"Ughhhh." was the brainless answer I received as he rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling as if willing it to fall and release his fury that had already made an appearance once this evening. His black hair had gone askew onto his tan face covering his fierce blue eyes which at the moment held many emotions which were suppose to be hidden deep in his mind, "I have an explanation." he finally murmured in a ashamed voice only appropriate for the current situation.

"I am dying to hear it." I said sarcastically as he sat up on my bed and looked me straight in the eyes as he always did when he got serious.

"Well, the date had already started out bad," he began giving a pointed look at me, "but when we arrived at the picnic site I had the house-elfs arrange, it was even more awkward. We both didn't want to be there and we made useless conversation until we finally got onto the subject of Quidditch which we of course disagreed on. She told me a strategy that the Gryffindor team had worked out ,that Theo had already found out about, and me, being the competitive kind, tried to top it…by telling her our strategies and she somehow got me to tell her all of our new plays. By the time I realized what she was doing the damage was done…"

I stared at him in horror, it had taken me weeks to come up with our maneuvers and Weasley had tricked Blaise into telling her all of them. Now we had to start from scratch, who knew that Gryffindors could be so like Slytherins. I growled but said nothing; I had to make sure he didn't say anything else that could effectively run the Slytherins.

"Then I was walking her back to the Heads dorm and I saw Theo and Adrian Pucey (**A/N this is the Slytherin keeper**) walking towards us so I kind of pushed her in the closet and she just about took my head off when she realized that I had put her in there because I didn't want them to see her with me. So she got out but then she came right back in and she kissed me, but that was only because Potter was patrolling and he found us in the closet and he was like 'Get your hands off my girlfriend!' and she was like 'I'm not you girlfriend' and I was like 'what just happened?' So I got pissed at her for using me to make Potty jealous and she got pissed at me for trying to hide her in a closet." He breathed a big breathe and waited for my reaction.

"You kissed a Weasley?" I asked incredulously and Blaise gave me a blank stare but his face soon turned ashamed as I continued, "And you told her all our Quidditch maneuvers?"

"She just gets me so angry that I don't even realize what I'm saying…" he said.

"You don't actually like her do you?" I asked at his musing voice that sounded so much like a love-sick person who was trying to describe his weird feelings to someone who just didn't get the concept of his own love.

"Hell no, she is a good kisser but she is also a Weasley and that comes with freckles and all." he looked back up at the ceiling and I couldn't help but wonder. _Did we always tell ourselves the truth?_

**I had to edit it again because my Microsoft Word went weird. Sorry it took me so long, pleas R&R! Hoped you like…remember there is more to come  **


	13. author's note

**Author's note: Thanks for all the reviews and I have changed the rating, I was going to do it sooner but I usually only remember to update on my chapters when I go online. Keep reading and reviewing, I will try to update soon.**


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: The next morning and two weeks later

I glanced at Pansy wondering why she hadn't followed her fellow Slytherins over to Draco's room. She seemed a bit nervous and deep in thought as she pushed her blonde hair to one side of her pale face, her green eyes intense with confusion and speculation. Ginny gave me a look obviously having the same thought process as myself.

"Pansy?" I asked my voice low after not talking for a while. Her head whipped up to look at me and I saw her stiffen as she noticed people staring at her. She took a step forward and then a step back before finally standing up to her full height once again confident as she usually was.

"I have something to tell you." I stared at her curious as to what would make such a confident girl so nervous and around Gryffindors no less.

"Hmm?" I inquired but she glanced at Ginny making me raise my eyebrows at her. She finally sighed and stared at me in a 'ready to tell you this' sort of way.

"Well, Draco came to my common room in a huff and told me what happened and about what was said earlier," she paused and I felt my face grow red past a blush and towards a tomato looking color. _Who does he think he is telling people what I say or do in the comfort of my own room?_, "So I told him that you obviously tricked him once you found out how the spell worked and he is now on a sort of mission to avenge himself and there is only one way to stop him."

I grinned, "You sound so dramatic. It's only Malfoy and I have dealt with way worse than the likes of him." I had cooled down when I thought of the way Draco's face must have looked when Pansy told him he had been duped. Pansy looked at me warily and with a look of disbelief.

"You of all people should know what he is capable of. Don't underestimate him. People seem to be making that mistake a lot."

"I fight fire with fire. He isn't going to get the best of me. I refuse, he had his chance and he lost it. There is no way he could come back from that." Pansy shrugged and stepped towards the door but just as she was about to pass through and leave Ginny and me alone she turned to my red-haired friend and said, "You like Blaise don't you?"

I stared at Ginny a hint of amusement in my eyes, she had just had a yelling match with him and now Pansy thought she liked him. Was she off her rocker? Ginny eyes widened and then hardened slightly, it was obvious that she didn't like a Slytherin poking around in her business and she didn't know Pansy as well as I did either, which isn't very well actually.

"That is the most idiotic thing that I have ever heard in my whole entire life and I live in a house full of idiots." In this statement she was referring to her brothers, "I just had a quarrel with him a moment ago and now you think I'm falling head over heels? Do you not see the difference between like and loathing?"

"I think he likes you..." Pansy whispered but before Ginny could contradict that statement Pansy had walked out into the common room and out into the corridors. Ginny face hadn't changed at all since Pansy had said this but I think it unnerved her, she didn't move for a second but then blinked and turned to me.

"You are not _ever _allowed to set me up on a blind date again." Her voice was slightly serious but with a hint of joking and she fell back onto my bed with a sigh, "Worst date ever." And with that I threw a pillow at her and the mood turned back to normal.

Next morning

I woke up at my regular time and stayed in the comfort of my bed covers, the advantage of getting up earlier that you have to, I breathed in the scent of newly washed sheets and felt that if I could stay like this forever I would. I had no problems and the only goal was to keep the warmth inside the blankets but like all good things they had to come to an end.

I got off and my size five feet met the floor making me quickly gather my everyday necessities and head to the bathroom. Once there I looked all the doors and proceeded to get ready for the day as I had everyday for most of my life. The routine comforted me, the same strokes of the hair brush, same apricot smell of my face cleanser, same brand of toothpaste, and so on and so forth. As soon as I walked down stairs I was met by the sight of a sleeping Draco Malfoy.

One hand holding a coffee mug the other covering his tired face his body slumped in the kitchen chair. I almost laughed but instead opted on waking him up, I swept over to him one hand on my satchel and poked him lightly on the shoulder.

"Wha-What?" he said getting up with a jolt and then he spotted me standing beside him and his face turned into his usual sneer that I had seen on his pale face so many times before, "Oh, it's you." He got out of his seat leaving his coffee half full and went back to his room.

I walked outside of the Head dorms and was surprised to see Pansy standing there by the side of the wall just waiting there. She noticed me immediately and I waited for her to say something. 

"I feel obligated to help you after telling Draco about that thing yesterday," she looked at me and I nodded with a smile happy for the company even though I thought it wasn't necessary.

"I don't think he is on a mission or anything. This morning he acted as if I didn't exist, back to the whole mudblood, pureblood routine." Pansy stayed quiet not volunteering any opinion on the subject.

"What exactly did you mean by helping?" I asked as we made out way to the Great Hall passing many students along the way.

"I'm not going to be sharing any of Draco's secrets or anything he is still one of my best friends, I'm just here to help an acquaintance understand what they are up against. What I mean by that is repeating the one tip that didn't seem to stick yesterday." I rolled my eyes if I had to pick between an Azkaban prisoner and Draco Malfoy I would think that latter would be safer.

"_Really_, Pansy." I said in a voice that I know sounded disbelieving, "I get that he is a Slytherin but he isn't some criminal mastermind and even if he was, I know how to take care of myself."

"You never know with Draco Malfoy." she muttered before leaving me and heading to the Slytherin table to join Blaise.

I walked over to the Gryffindor table scanning for Ginny but when I saw her I almost jumped back in surprise. She was sitting next to Harry and Ron with Harry's arm holding protectively on her waist while she ate silently just listening as Harry and her brother talked, probably on the subject of Quidditch.

I stomped over to their table and poked Ginny harshly in the shoulder she turned around irritated but when she saw me her face visibly paled. Harry and Ron both turned around but once they saw who it was their eyes hardened, "Do you need something, D'jore?" asked Harry holding tighter on Ginny's waist.

"Nothing from you, Harry." I said not lowering myself to using surnames since we had known each other so long and I thought it was pointless, "But I need to have a word with Ginny...alone and last time I checked she didn't need permission for that."

As Harry was about to retort Ginny tugged at his sleeve with more than a little force, got up out of her seat, and followed me out of the Great Hall. As we got out there I felt a twinge of anger feeling as if Ginny had turned on me, fraternizing with the enemy. But then again when had Harry and Ron become the enemy? Sure, at the moment we weren't the best of friends but were they indeed my enemies? Was the whole order my enemy? Who was on _my_ side?

"What are you doing with Harry's arm around your waist?" I said keeping all of my confused emotions out of my voice. Trying to sound like a concerned friend and not a jealous one.

"Well, after I got to my common room last night Harry was waiting for me and he apologized, got me flowers and told me that…he loved me." I stared at her blankly feeling as if to say, "_So?"_ Did she already forget all his bad habits and the things that had driven her to break up with him in the first place?

"Ginny, you can do so much better than him. We have been through this." I said trying to knock some sense into her but she just smiled a sad smile.

"Hermione, do you know what it feels like for someone other than family to tell you that they love you?" I paused, the answer was no. Sure I have heard _"I really like you"_ but that is the extent of it, "Maybe Harry has a lot of qualities that are bad for a relationship but at least someone will care for me once I get out of school. Maybe it's not what will make me the happiest but at least I'll be taken care of." I heaved a heavy sigh, she had taken the easy way out.

Then I contemplated her earlier question. _Would I ever know what it feels like for someone to say that love me?_ I glanced inside the Great Hall and saw Draco talking to Blaise and Pansy his face hard and felt a sudden sadness overcome me. Did I want Draco to say that he loved me?

"I guess I understand." I muttered. She nodded and we headed back inside the hall. I sat down next to Ginny and beside Ron completely ignoring their questions to her about why I was there and just ate my porridge silently. I looked up at the Slytherin table to see Blaise watching our table silently. No emotion evident on his face. Had he already found someone else he liked, so quickly? I moved my eyes to the person beside him, blonde hair, gray-blue eyes, and the same arrogant air that I could see even from across the Hall.

He was exactly the kind of guy that I would go for. Exactly my type but I hated him because of what he stood for, the way he treated me and the way he still treats me. Like something that he owns, a rag doll that can be thrown around and man-handled. I knew I didn't want to marry him even though I was somewhat attracted to him.

I could admit it now. I was attracted to Draco Malfoy but at the same time I was also completely disgusted by him. Knowing that I had to marry him made me feel even more determined that there must be some way to get out of this betrothal.

I was going to have a happy life, a life I controlled. A life filled with someone that would tell me that they loved me everyday. A life that in no way included a Slytherin asshole named Draco Malfoy. I walked out of the Great Hall and headed to the library there had to be something that led me to my salvation in there. With one last glance at the Slytherin Prince I walked out the door but not before catching the rude hand gesture that he had made which made me all the more determined.

Two weeks later

I stared down at all the books surrounding me. I had been through every possible book that even mentioned the words 'marriages' or 'betrothals' and yet after two weeks of searching endlessly have come to a dead end.

The last weeks had been tiring and depressing. Draco hadn't stopped his rude and cruel behavior and Ginny was still occupied with Harry trying to convince herself that she had made the right decision while right before her eyes she could see that he was not faithful in any way whatsoever. Blaise on the other hand was puzzling me immensely he had become secluded and less talkative about all subject matters and I had yet to ask him what was wrong, too involved with my search in finding the answer to my prayers. Pansy had come to my common room more often in the past weeks giving me small amounts of encouragement while still keeping mostly to herself.

The situation with my former best friends had also not improved at the least, whenever we saw each other we pretended that the other person didn't exist but I had begun to think more and more I would need to go to my ex-best friends for help. I knew that they could get the spell out of Dumbledore, they probably already knew it. I stared furiously into mid-air and wished that my life would automatically fix itself.

Discouraged and tired from a Saturday full of studying for both exams that seemed to become more frequent and for the answer to happiness in my own life, I rose out of my chair leaving the books scattered on the table much unlike my usual self but I had become less and less like Hermione Granger and more and more like Hermione D'jore, a miserable pure-blood betrothed to the scum of the wizarding world.

As I entered my common room I saw Draco doing his homework on the coach, his eyes intent on the information he was reading not even noticing that I had entered the room. I made a small sound by clearing my throat grabbing his attention and making him scowl which he seemed to be doing a lot usually triggered just at the sight of me.

"Nice to see you too." I muttered sarcastically and not in the mood for talking but I needed to discuss Heads business with him even if I didn't want to, "Are you going to help me organize the dates for the Hogsmead trips?" He looked up at me irritably making me feel low and uncomfortable like he always did now a days. I didn't know when I hated him more when he was calling me a mudblood, forcing me to have sex with him, or cruelly ignoring me as if I didn't exist and when actually acknowledging me making snide remarks.

"I think you got it covered." He said his eyes back on his paper and that is when I lost it completely. I didn't yell out in anger and tell him that he was an asshole and that I hated him more than Voldemort himself, no I did something even worse.

I started to cry. And not just a couple of tears trailing down my cheeks but many of them one after the other with big sniffles and gasps in-between . Draco looked up at me appalled at my behavior not looking the least bit sorry for me, which fueled my tears to continue even stronger than before.

"What's wrong, Granger?" he asked exasperated, "I need quiet to finish my work."

"_What's wrong? What's wrong?"_ I whispered menacingly, _"My future husband is a cold-hearted bastard that's what's wrong!"_ I walked slowly to my room leaving Draco Malfoy to think about my words not knowing if they affected him in the least but hoping that they did. If I was going to suffer so was he.

A/N Sorry it took so long to update but I was having writers block and I am not absolutely sure what I think about this chapter. Give me your input because I love it! Don't worry it will all come together in the end but keep in mind that I am not a Happy Ending sort of person …enjoy


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: One step forward and one step back 

I watched the door slam as Hermione locked herself in her room obviously upset and of course I was the source. The past few weeks had been pure hell. I had been faced with the problem of making up with Hermione, just telling her that I was sorry for trying to force her to do something she didn't want to do. But every time the thought even crossed my mind all of the bad things said and done came between me giving anything remotely close to an apology.

I stared into the flames of the fireplace and ran a hand through my hair, frustrated. I glared at the door feelings as if it was the wall keeping me from getting what I wanted, from becoming happy, even slightly. I knew that if I wanted to make things right with Hermione I would have to apologize both for her sake and my own.

I tried to act like I hadn't noticed how much our situation bothered her but I knew it was slowly tearing away at her. I saw the way that she was always coming back from the library looking defeated, I caught her glancing at the Gryffindor table looking lost in past, seemingly painful memories, and sometimes when she thought I wasn't looking she would stare at me with an unreadable expression. The expression I desperately wanted to know the meaning of but probably never would.

Sometimes I wished I could read her stubborn, righteous Gryffindor mind and sometimes I wished I had never met her. Never laid eyes on her face, never envied her grades and caring for others, never wondered what our relationship would be like if I hadn't thought she was a mudblood, and never been forced into a betrothal. I knew I didn't love her but over the last weeks I had grown to…dare I say, admire her.

I got up out of my seat and walked over to her door, I hesitated before knocking I almost wanted to run back to my room but when the door swung open, it was too late, as there stood Hermione, her face tear stained. "What is it?" she asked softly, she sounded so defeated and at that moment I felt the guilt weighing hard on my chest.

I walked past her and sat on her desk sorting through papers and ignoring her question. Then I found a blank piece of parchment and titled it _Hogsmead_ in cursive lettering. I looked at her and she was staring at me from the door looking shocked that I had dared come into her room.

"I have been neglecting my Head duties so I have decided to help you with the Hogsmead schedule." I said a little too fast but Hermione just blinked. This was my apology, helping her with this, not taunting her, and not ordering her around. I knew it wasn't the best apology and I knew to most people that it would even be registered in the same category but I hope she realized this was the best I could do…for now.

She shook her head before saying a little louder than before, "Okay…Draco." I was surprised to hear her say my name because she had barely talked to be in the past weeks and I knew it must have shown on my face because she giggled slightly and smiled.

"Well, let's get started." She brought another chair over to sit next to me and I was engulfed with the scent of citrus which didn't smell that bad at the least. I looked back determinedly at the paper and I numbered the page up to six and then looked up into Hermione's blue eyes, she had been studying the paper behind me and I must have stared at her for a moment too long because she raised her eyebrows at me in question.

"I think the first trip should be October 31. So they can get their sweets and everything for Halloween and my mother also mentioned that she wanted to go shopping with you soon so it will be a perfect opportunity." I said writing the date next to number one on the piece of parchment.

"Shopping for what?" Hermione asked anxiously looked down at her attire before looking back up at me while biting her bottom lip nervously.

"Wedding necessities." I said with a smirk at her edginess, "She wants you to bring your maid of honor as well." She nodded her head in comprehension before tilting her head back tiredly and closing her eyes. I worked out the schedule until it was finished and was astonished to find Hermione still sitting in the chair next to me but she was sleeping.

I examined her carefully taking her moment of unawareness as an opportunity to further my knowledge of the perplexing young woman. She was definitely different from last year, appearance wise. She had blue eyes now hidden under her eyelids, straight brown hair a sharp contrast to the nest she had last year, and porcelain skin that I had to resist from touching as my curiosity wondered if it was as soft as it looked. She was far from perfect but so was everyone else and I soon realized that yes her appearance was a great factor in who she was but what really got my attention was her demeanor.

She was confident but not pompous the way that I knew she thought I was, she let her insecurities surface at regular intervals and often talked about major issues with her friends an obvious difference between us. My father would call it foolishness to open yourself up and willingly tell another person your weaknesses but I felt that was only one way to look at it. To let yourself trust another human being you also had to have a good amount of courage that the fiery Gryffindor definitely had. She never seemed without a witty comeback or never seemed to give up hope. Another difference that was seemingly obvious.

After all this time she was still looking for the answer to our problem. Even after her two best friends for the past seven years deserted her, after she found out she was betrothed to someone that endlessly taunted her, and her current best friend was ignoring her advice and probably making one of the biggest mistakes of her life. Not that I cared about the female Weasley but I had observed both Hermione and her friend to figure out that the older girl disapproved of the relationship and that she had spoken on the matter before.

I suddenly on impulse pulled the sleeping girl in my arms (feeling utterly idiotic and as if I was in one of those Happy Ending muggle fairy tales) and carried to her bed before gently setting her down and pulling the covers over her cold body. I stared at her peaceful face a moment longer before acting out of character for the third time in one day and brushing my lips tenderly against hers. _That was how our first kiss should have been. _As my mind processed that thought I suddenly realized what I had done and sat slowly down on the floor. Was I going soft or something?

First, I had just about apologized to Hermione, then I had helped her with Head duties, and then I had_ tenderly_ kissed her? Yes, that is a question mark. Had I actually, due to my own will, tenderly kissed a woman that had not only publicly embarrassed me but who had also blatantly refused to have sex with me, even after a spell was performed? I shook my head confused.

My life growing up hadn't been what many would call easy. Every nice act I had performed tonight had been against my father's teachings. He had drilled things like this into my head using both brute force and verbal abuse.

Never apologize to anyone, Draco.

Never get emotionally attached, Draco.

Never tolerate someone who doesn't do what you tell them, Draco.

Never, Never, Never.

I felt a flash of hate for the man that raised me course through me. He had made me into a machine, automatic and void of emotion. I couldn't help but think what I would be like if I ever had children. Would I be like him? _No. _My mind answered back harshly and none too quietly. There was no room for discussion, I would not grow up to be my father. Yes, I had been following in his footsteps and yes I had pledged my devotion to further the progress of everything that I knew was wrong but had thought to be _so_ right.

Then as if my father was watching me I again acted on impulse, turning towards Hermione I planted a light kiss on her forehead. I knew she wouldn't remember this and I wasn't sure I wanted her to but being able to as simple acts like that made me fell like a bigger, stronger man even if people constantly measured a man by the harsh things he did and not by the tender kisses he gave.

The simple sweet kisses made be feel more like a man then I had ever felt like when performing the Dark Arts or when I was playing Quidditch and actually winning or even when I was taunting others. I closed my eyes tightly savoring the feeling before letting my mind drift off into dreamland. I would never tell anyone about my newest revelation and probably would be too much of a Slytherin to actually leave my father and the life that I now had.

Although, what I didn't know was that standing at the door, her eyes wide in surprise, astonishment and any other form of amazement was Ginerva Weasley her head spinning and her mind denying what she had just seen. Yes, Ginny couldn't believe that she had stood there for the last five minutes and witnessed Draco Malfoy do the unmistakable kind acts. Also, if you had ever gotten to now Ginerva you would soon realize that she couldn't keep quiet for more than five minutes which resulted in a sharp intake of breath signaling that she had been there the entire time.

I ,of course, being able to hear the most acute noises even when I was half asleep heard Ginerva's astonished gasp and when I opened my eyes I was absolutely horrified to see her standing there her mouth fixed into the shape of a capital O.

"How bloody long have you been there?" I almost shouted in a furious tone that was meant for only one reason: to intimidate. Ginny stood there, not saying anything, you could accurately say that she was speechless. This of course answered my question with an obvious, the whole time.

I felt my face pale and my eyes zero in on the girl my mind whirling with some sort of excuse before I realized that there was no plausible answer but despite this fact I still managed to come out with, "I can explain!"

Ginny still seemed astonished as my words reached her ears but quickly got over herself and opened her mouth, "How in the blazes do you explain that, Malfoy?"

I hesitated, after all it was very damning evidence but suddenly my brilliant mind came up with a seemingly excellent excuse, I smirked and then said, "It was a dare, okay… I'm not proud of it but Blaise, you know Zabini, put me up to it." I raised my hands up as if in surrender and heaved a big sigh for emphasis.

Her mouth thinned into a straight line before she suddenly smiled, a scary (you could say creepy) smile that anyone would agree would lead to nothing good, "You are a horrid liar. I don't know how you got this far in life without being able to come up with a plausible fib."

I tired to stay clam as I was more than a little surprised at her blunt words, "Why would I lie?" I asked trying to bring out her prejudices against Slytherin out because then my words would make more sense.

I don't know the reasons behind why you would lie," Ginny said pausing to think as she leaned on the heels of her feet, "All I do know is that you _are_ lying…"

"I am not lying." I retorted lamely through gritted teeth, my patience wearing thin with the insistent Gryffindor who refused to leave the subject alone.

"_Sure_." She said her stupid knowing smile still in place, "_Sure_…" I grumbled but realized if I didn't tell her the truth then she would tell Hermione which would just cause more problems. "Fine," I muttered finally giving in, "I just wanted to see what it felt like, okay? I'm human, I get curious sometimes…"

I knew I was being vague but I could see Ginny's features soften at my carefully chosen words. Maybe if I kept this up she would just forget about everything she saw but my mind knew that there barely any chance of that happening.

"I understand." She said and then sat down against the wall across from me. I hadn't expected this, I had expected her to tease me, swear she wouldn't tell anyone, give a last laugh, and then leave me the bloody hell alone.

There was a considerable silence before I finally opened my mouth to say something, anything just to switch the topic off myself, "If you haven't noticed, Weasley, I am a very observant person and I noticed how you are around Potter and how Hermione obviously disapproves of the whole thing. So when are you gonna dump the wanker ?" She seemed to forget about me (_my evil plan worked_) and suddenly stiffened at the mention of her boyfriend.

Whether it was because of how appealing it for Ginny to tell an enemy that she barely knew about her problems after witnessing my own weakness or the mere fact that she had just had a fight with the subject in question that lead her to tell me her feelings was a mystery to me.

But, nonetheless, the reason behind it all was not what I pondered over, no, what I pondered over was the Gryffindor's fears of what would happen if she stayed with Potter and consequences of what would happen if she left him. The whole time she talked I stayed silent, just listening, to say I was surprised that she had such emotions over the boy was an understatement.

Finally after only fifteen minutes of baring a portion of her soul she finally composed herself and stood up. I followed her as she walked out of Hermione's room and into the common room. Although before she got to the door she turned around again and said, "You're alright for a Malfoy."

I stiffened, I couldn't have people thinking I had gone soft and I was suddenly an open, compassionate, and _loving_ person. No, that would not do so as she turned back around I left her with my own parting words, "Nice ass, Weasley." It was a pathetic attempt at mockery and I knew it, I wasn't exactly at the top of my game today but it seemed to have the effect I wanted. I had taken one step forward and one step back in being a slightly better person.

She turned around furious but when our eyes connected her creepy Gryffindor smile came back on to her face and she muttered, "Nice try." Before closing the portrait behind and leaving me feeling irritated with her. I had to add another person to my growing list of people who I couldn't help but feel intrigued by: Hermione D'jore, a muggle who had tried to sell me some sort of device with small buttons and that made utterly loud and idiotic noises and would always end with an annoying _You lose_ on the screen, and now Ginerva Weasley.

I stretched my arms out before turning to the couch to see a sleepy looking Hermione with a look I had never seen before across her features, "Why was Ginny here?" she asked her voice normal but her face still oddly different.

"She came to talk to you, saw you weren't awake, we exchanged insults, and then she left." I said telling myself that is what _should_ have happened. Her eyebrows rose skeptically and I wondered if I was really that bad of a liar as Weasley had said I was.

But then I smirked and finally registered the look on Hermione's face as one that I had often had when I was dating someone, "Why are you _jealous_?"

Her face went stiff as she clenched her jaw tightly in irritation, "I _just_ started to be able to tolerate you, don't push your luck." I felt myself smirk despite her words and couldn't help but comment, "Well, I know how it is. You being a girl and me being the most desirable boy in school, I mean what _can _you do?"

Hermione seemed to think about it for a second before bursting out laughing and heading back into her room every few steps she would chuckle and say, "Ha, now that is funny!" I knew my face had a pink tinge to it by now, my pale complexion making the color all the more obvious. But, what I didn't know was that she also had a bit more than a pink tinge to her cheeks which conveniently could only be covered by laughing aloud. But of course, I didn't know that.

Sorry for the wait, but I had finals. Still loving all the reviews, hope you like.


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15: A true Malfoy

I looked boredly around the silent Transfiguration classroom, today was our weekly test and I had finished early. I studied all of the faces of my classmates as they all stared intently at their papers, their faces showing everything from confusion to complete concentration. That is all but one face.

Draco sat in his seat, his eyes closed and his body relaxed, he seemed without a care in the world. But of course I knew better to assume that by now. The weeks that have been leading up to Halloween had been difficult, and that is putting it lightly. I had needed to be careful of everything that I said while I was around my fiancée because I never knew what would offend him, it had been weeks of tip-toeing around important matters just so we wouldn't get in an argument.

Although, I knew I wasn't the only one tip-toeing. I had caught Draco stop mid-sentence more than a hand-full of times, and when he did make a rude remark, he would always rephrase or even look sheepishly up at me (imagine, Draco Malfoy looking sheepish up at _me_, just imagine). But despite our hard work in trying to stay on friendly terms there had been a few fights. Those of course left both of us angry, irritated, and unwilling to apologize to the other person.

Interestingly enough Ginny had convinced both of us to start talking again after the first quarrel(she seemed to be warming up to Draco) and the next two times Blaise had scolded us for being foolish and sent us both a glare so fierce that even Draco had been forced to look away. We had both decided to leave the subject alone after that. It seemed that Draco and I did have help involving our relationship; the real question was whether it would be enough.

Suddenly, Draco raised his head off the desk where it had been resting and looked straight up at me. I tried not to blush as I realized I had been caught staring as he raised an eyebrow at me. He seemed like he wanted to smirk right then but he seemed able to stop himself as I gave him a warning look. I hated it when he smirked, it made me so…so…there isn't even a word for it.

I looked back down at my paper, not bothering to check it again as I had done that twice already and found nothing more worth changing. I let my mind wander again as I thought about how my day would be tomorrow. It was the first Hogsmead trip, not to mention Halloween, and my first trip with Mrs. Malfoy, my future mother-in-law. _I have a mother-in-law. I'm not even out of school yet and I'm getting married. _Thoughts like these had visited my mind often, making me more worried then I was about NEWTs.

"Please pass your tests up to the fronts of your rows, time is up." said Professor McGonagall, her voice breaking the steely silence that had engulfed the classroom. There was a sudden rustle of papers and soon whispered conversation started up again as the all the tests passed from hand to hand to the front of the class. Once Professor McGonagall had all of the papers she dismissed us and I quickly got out of my seat and headed to the Heads common room.

As I headed down the hall someone suddenly tapped my shoulder, I jumped in surprise and looked up into the face of: Harry Potter. I looked up at him in confusion. _What did he want? _He had made it absolutely clear on the train that he wanted nothing to do with me and hadn't said or did anything to make it seem as if his feelings had changed.

"What do you want, Harry?" I asked trying to keep my voice even but I could hear my slight nervousness vibrate in my tone.

He looked at me his emerald eyes intent, "I want to discuss something with you." He ran a hand through his messy black hair. It was one of his more annoying habits.

"I don't have time for this Harry, can you skip the dramatics and just get to the bloody point?" Harry's eyes flashed in irritation and a bit of surprise, I would never have said something like that last year. Maybe I had been spending a little too much time around Draco.

"Sure, D'jore." I rolled my eyes at his formality. I mean it wasn't like we had spent the last six years as best friends (note the sarcasm), "I just got back from Dumbledore's office and he wanted me to talk to you about the Order."

I suddenly felt even more uncomfortable then I had before, I hadn't thought about the Order in a long while. _Thank you for reminding me, Harry!_ My mind sounding beyond sarcastic as it said this and it seemed just plain angry. But I think I was maybe more sad that the Order was the only thing he wanted to talk to me about.

"What about the Order exactly?" my voice came out in a squeak and I tried not to blush at my stupidity. Since when did I squeak? Harry looked down at me in a condescending stare but finally opened his mouth to explain.

"Dumbledore told me that by now you should have cooled down and he understood why you rejected his offer before. He said it was because Malfoy was there but he wants you to go to his office to discuss the plans for you mission. He decided to send me to tell you because it would look too suspicious if he went." I glared at Harry and I mentally cursed Dumbledore. How dare he think that I would still, after the horrible thing that both he and the rest of the Order did to me, would still help their cause! I counted to ten silently in my mind, I couldn't blow up in the middle of the corridor.

"Harry tell Dumbledore that when I said I would detach myself from the Order that I _meant_ it. You of all people should know that when I say something I mean it." I waited for Harry's response but his face shone nothing but I knew that Harry was absolutely horrid at keeping his emotions to himself. And of course I was right.

"Hermione! Are you telling me that you are going to become one of _them_? A Deatheater, someone that will grovel at the feet of that vile creature, just because your heritage has changed? What is wrong with you, I thought you were smarter than that. But I was obviously wrong you are _just _like them." He spat out the last part and I felt my body grow stiff.

What I said next was what I had feared I would say during this whole encounter, "How dare you! I wouldn't change sides just because the Order betrayed me, but don't go thinking that the Order's cause it so righteous because you don't know the half of it, _Harry James Potter! _

"Did you know that Amos Diggory killed Pansy Parkinson's father? Did you? And that everyday he was poisoned over and over again, barely being able to remember who his family was? Just because you think what you are doing is right doesn't mean it is! Did you ever think that you are also hurting innocent people? Like Pansy Parkinson…" _Like me. _

I looked up at Harry and saw that he was speechless. Never before had I voiced my real thoughts aloud, the real reasons why I wouldn't help the Order. I didn't believe in fighting for them or anyone else anymore, I didn't feel like hurting others like I had been doing, even if I hadn't know that I was.

I once again started off to my dorms not looking back but I did hear Harry's last words, "You're wrong, Hermione. I thought you were smarter than that…" I couldn't help but feel saddened by the fact that he didn't believe me. Maybe if the situation was different he would have, maybe…

Once inside my dorms I threw all of my things on the floor and ran up to my room where I collapsed on my bed, tired from the emotional stress, and cried. I cried for me, I cried for Harry, I cried for my dead parents, and I even cried for Draco. When I fell asleep I would never know but all I knew was the last thing I remember feeling was absolute despair.

8:30 A.M., Halloween

I woke up to someone shaking me awake. I opened my sleep-crusted eyes to an irritated looking Draco Malfoy. I blinked trying to figure out why Draco was waking me up so early but my thoughts were too jumbled up and it was wayyy to early to be thinking in complete thoughts. So I did what any other teenager my age would have done, I pulled the covers over my head and whined, "Sleeeeeeppppppppppppppp."

But of course, Draco did not understand my reasons, and proceeded to yank all the covers off of my bed and that left me shivering in my cotton pajamas and cursing him silently. Then, when he realized that I still wasn't going to move, he got out his wand and performed a spell I never heard of but I soon found out what it did.

It was a tickling spell. I sudden started laughing and finally growled in-between fits of laughter, "Alright you great git, I'm up!" I could see the tiniest hint of a smile on Draco's pale face before he went back to "important matters" and opened his mouth to break the moment.

"Today you are going to Hogsmead with my mother and I wanted to make sure that you were ready." I nodded my head in understanding, I would have done the same thing.

"Alright, bring out the check list." I joked and amazingly enough, he actually had one. I faced him a weird stare but he wasn't paying attention.

"Outfit?" He asked his gaze on my current chose of clothing which was purple pajama bottoms with a matching top. It was ugly but it was also _very_ comfortable.

"Mary Janes, black robes, jeans and a t-shirt." I said. It was what I would have wore at any other occasion. After all we were just going to Hogsmead.

"No." said Draco flatly, "I have your outfit on a hanger in your closet. I was afraid you would say something ridiculous like that so I had Pansy let me borrow one of her outfits." I glared but said nothing.

"Wand?" I nodded, what kind of ridiculous list was this? "Shower?" I rolled my eyes at this, was he a bit daft.

"I'll take one when we're done. Can you please just let me get ready? This list is ridiculous." He glared but then smiled mischievously, he was up to something.

"Maid of Honor?" I gasped I had completely forgot about those. He laughed and mumbled "ridiculous, huh?" But I had already run out of the common room and towards Gryffindor Tower. I quickly muttered the password and skidded to a stop as all of the Gryffindor's eyes landed on me.

"What do _you_ want?" asked Colin Creevy, his tone weirdly mean and I couldn't help but feel slightly angry. Harry had obviously spread the story of my 'betrayal'.

"I need to speak to Ginny." I said and turned my eyes to the girl's dormitories before climbing up the stairs not waiting for anyone's permission. I was Head Girl and they didn't have control over what I did. I found Ginny fast asleep on her bed, her eyes fluttering slightly and her red hair a curtain over part of her face.

I quickly shook her awake, too nervous about being rude and waking her up so early on a day when we had no school. She jumped up startled but when she saw me her expression softened before it suddenly turned hard.

"Why did you wake me up so early in the morning?" she asked her tone unreadable. I suddenly felt hurt and I didn't know why but I hadn't expected her to be so mean. But I brushed it off, it was only because of the early hour.

"I have something very important to ask you." I said my voice hollow and tired even to my own ears. She looked at me expectantly and I took a deep breath before continuing.

"Ginny, will you be my Maid of Honor?" She gasped slightly and then her face broke out in a smile.

"Of course-" she was cut off from a voice from below. It was Ron's and he didn't sound happy.

"Ginny? Are you up there with _her_?" Suddenly Ginny's face fell and I realized that Harry had also told her about what had happened yesterday. That was why she had been acting weird. She thought I was some soon to be Deatheater.

"I can't" Ginny finished, she seemed to be trying to look expressionless but I could see a sadness, as small as it was, "I can't be friends with someone who is against the Order." I realized I couldn't really object to this but I felt my eyes water. I thought we had grown closer this year.

"I'm no Deatheater, Ginny and I never will be." my tears had edged into my voice and I quickly went down the stairs. The first person I saw was Ron and when he saw me he looked like he wanted to comfort me like he had done before but then he looked at me, I mean really looked.

My ebony hair, blue eyes, petite figure and I knew I didn't remind him at all about the friend I had been to him for the past six years and that was what was stopping him. I brushed past him and out of the door feeling all of the Gryffindor eyes on my back, judging me. Thinking I was some Deatheater, ready to kill, ready to do whatever it took to get to the top. Thinking I was some _Slytherin_.

But I knew that now wasn't the time for another nervous breakdown so I quickly wiped the fallen tears away and headed for a new destination. The Slytherin dorms. I knew the way by now and I had long ago learned the password so I went inside and was met by a steely silence. I once again headed up to the girl's dorms without permission hoping for a different outcome then I had with Ginny.

I was surprised to find that Pansy was awake, a lamp next to her bed lighting the way as she read a book that I couldn't see the title of. When I entered she quickly, as if by reflex, got out her wand and pointed it at me. Once seeing who it was, she lowered it but still had it in her grip.

"Hey." she said her voice low so she wouldn't wake up her roommates. I waved as a greeting, now feeling suddenly scared about what I was about to do. She motioned for me to sit down in a chair and I did. She left me in my silence, one of things that I liked about Pansy was that she didn't rush people into saying things. She waited for them to tell her in their own time.

"I have a big question to ask you and I'll understand if you say no." I said my voice also low, "Would you be my Maid of Honor?" I could see the surprise jump onto her face as she realized what I had just asked and felt more than a little embarrassed at how lame I sounded.

"I would love to." She finally said and I felt my eyes burst wide with amazement, I had expected her to say no. I couldn't control my excitement as I happily hugged her and told her to meet me outside in an hour.

I happily skipped back to my Heads dorms feeling that maybe everything had turned out for the better but in the back of my mind there was Ginny's face, with that unreadable expression, as if I was a stranger.

Once I got inside I spotted Draco reading silently by the fireplace but I passed him without saying anything and took a quick shower as it was on the check list. I couldn't help but giggle as I thought this. When I was done I went to my closet and was met by the outfit that had to be Pansy's. There was a white off the shoulder blouse with a brown belt that had embedded signs with black pants and to top it all off a pair of white boots. It all seemed so muggle and I was surprised that Pansy had an outfit like it. But then again you could barely tell under everyone's robes. I put the outfit on and spelled on some lip-gloss and eyeliner to complete the whole outfit.

I went into the common room and saw Draco in the same position as he had been when I had entered before. He looked up at me and grumbled, "Are you finally ready?" I rolled my eyes, I was guessing that this was Draco Malfoy nervous. Which is the same as Draco Malfoy happy, angry, surprised, and basically how he acts all of the time.

I nodded and we went out to the front of the school and were met by Pansy who looked like she had just arrived. Draco waved at her and asked, "What are you doing here?"

Pansy didn't look surprised that Draco didn't know and simply said, "I'm the Maid of Honor did you need me somewhere else?" Draco then turned his attentions towards me to ask why Pansy was my Maid of Honor when suddenly we were in the presence of Narcissa Black Malfoy, wife of Lucius Malfoy, and well-known pure-blood bitch. What Narcissa wanted Narcissa got. At least that is what I had heard.

Although, you couldn't tell by looking at her. She looked like she was the perfect angel who had never in her life said anything or did anything bad against anyone. This was accomplished with her amazing blonde hair and blue eyes that looked so soft and didn't have a trace of malice anywhere in its depths unlike Draco's whose eyes were cold and calculating like his father's. Her face had high cheekbones and pink pouty lips and now there was no doubt in my mind where Draco had got all of his handsome qualities. His mother.

She surveyed all of us before finally opening her mouth, "I'm glad I am finally able to spend time with my future daughter-in-law and finally have the chance to apologize for my husband's spell when we first met. What you must think of us." I couldn't help but feel ashamed but for what I wasn't sure. I knew that spell had caused me a lot of trouble but I still felt as if I should be apologizing to _her_ and not the other way around.

"No problem." That was the understatement of the year, "I'm also honored to finally meet you." Mrs. Malfoy's face broke into a smile and she suddenly clapped her hands happily.

"Well, Draco your father is waiting in the Hogshead to go shopping with you and me and the girls will have a day out without any men. Won't that be fun?" Both Pansy and I nodded in agreement but I suddenly felt slightly nauseous because I would be spending the day with Mrs. Malfoy and with my amazing record I was bond to say something stupid without Draco there. But I said nothing.

"Bye, Pansy, Hermione." We all waved goodbye to Draco and got into our own carriage. Once inside we were all quiet, I thought that Pansy being here might make it easier to break the ice but she looked just as uncomfortable as me and I found out why.

"So, Pansy, are you comfortable being the Maid of Honor to a girl that is marrying your ex-boyfriend. I hope there are no hard feelings." Mrs. Malfoy's face shone sympathy but below that was a determination for the wedding to be perfect and she was obviously intent on making sure Pansy wouldn't be a future problem. Pansy face was surprised and irritated but I decided to answer for her.

"Mrs. Malfoy, if you didn't already know Pansy was the one that broke up with Draco and since I asked her to be my Maid of Honor I am sure that she has no feelings what-so-ever for him. So I think both she and I would appreciate if you didn't ask such preposterous questions." I was surprised at my own daring but I meant ever word. I was just frightened of Mrs. Malfoy's reaction. I saw Pansy shot a grateful glance my way.

"A true Malfoy." She finally said and her face broke into a smirk which was weird because I had always thought that Draco had gotten his smirk only from his father and not both of his parents. I couldn't help but feel proud of myself for getting such a high compliment, after-all the first time I had really meet Mrs. Malfoy had been at the Quidditch World Cup and then she had thought of me as the lowest mudblood scum in the whole wizarding world. Oh, how things have changed.

**Keep reviewing, remember your comments keep me happy and writing quicker. Anything you want me to keep in mind, have questions about, or tweak a bit. Just post a review. Oh, and thanks for the comment about my finals. I did okay. I will personally thank everyone that reviewed at the end of my story. Because there will be an end and it will be totally awesome!**


	17. Chapter 16

Chapter 16: That's for my tea!

I fingered the object in my jacket pocket anxiously, it seemed as if my nerves had been going haywire this whole year at Hogwarts and I wasn't sure what to think about that just yet but I couldn't help but realize that I knew the exact cause of it all. I removed my hand from my pocket and faced the door to The Three Broomsticks not sure whether I really wanted to go inside. Of course, at that moment a cheeky 4th year started tapping her foot impatiently behind me leaving my only choice to open the door.

I spotted Hermione almost right away as I entered, she was standing next to a table of two guys that I vaguely remembered as Ravenclaws. They were probably talking about NEWTs or something else school related, she seemed to be in a heated discussion her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were glaring as if she would like very much to tell the boys to "piss off" but of course this was Hermione so she didn't.

Gathering up the audacity, I traveled towards their table and slowed down so I could catch the gist of their conversation before I could embarrass myself in someway, "I can't believe Malfoy puts up with you. Ron, I could see how he did it, you were friends, but Malfoy!" said an amber-eyed boy with blonde hair and his hair tied up in a boyish ponytail.

"You put up with me." Hermione whispered quietly in reply. I couldn't help but feel the tension in the air as I drew steadily nearer, they hadn't seen me yet and I was keeping it that way until I could find out what they were talking about.

"Well, you know why." the Ravenclaw responded, "And I think it was worth those four months of your bitching about school and your Golden Trio problems to just see you let it all out in that one heated night of passion." Snickering ensued and my anger surfaced as I quickly realized _exactly_ what they were talking about.

I expected Hermione to come up with a counter-argument but she just stood there staring blankly and I took that as my cue. I walked up to the boy and he glanced up at me with a look of defiance plain on his sun tanned face.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" I asked my voice low and dangerous. I saw Hermione's eyes widen as she realized I had been there the whole time.

The boy grinned and said pompously, "A guy that shagged your fiancée and then showed her the door for all my patience and _generosity_." This boy sure had some nerve but I was satisfied to see his friends had stopped laughing now I was here. I saw Hermione blush at the boy's words signifying that it was true.

Before I knew what I was doing I had grabbed the boy by the collar, pushed him against the wall, and punched him. Hard. I would have continued to do so if Hermione hadn't started yelling at me and yanked me out of there with strength I didn't even know she possessed.

We were in the alley behind the Three Broomsticks when I realized that the boy was nowhere in sight and it was only Hermione and I. Alone. She glared angrily up at me and was just about to speak when I decided to do something else even more spontaneous then punching that Ravenclaw.

I cupped her face in my hands and I kissed her, using all my pent up emotions from both the past and the present and putting it into that one kiss, hoping that in that one kiss she would feel would I felt at that moment, and maybe understand what my emotions meant because I sure as hell didn't. I deepened the kiss further and seemed aware of everything about her lips, the way she was moving them against mine, how much I loved the way this moment felt, and how I wished life was like this one kiss, this one pleasure. I pushed her against the wall for balance but before I could go any further she pushed me off of her and I stumbled back surprised. _What did I do wrong this time?_ My lips felt swollen and I had the urge to put my fingers to them but instead I waited for her explanation, there had to be an explanation to breaking up a kiss that good.

"You vile, evil, little cockroach!" she yelled her face flushed from both our snogging session and her anger. I of course think it had more to do with the snog than anything else.

"What?" I asked trying to use my most innocent voice and since I really didn't know what was going on, it came out right for once. I went over all the things I had done today. Was she mad because I hit that prat in the Three Broomsticks?

" I didn't need any saving! Besides you only hit him to protect your bloody surname. I'm tired of you caring only because of your damn family honor!" Tears rolled down her cheeks and she let them slide down without brushing them away. I felt confused, very confused. Why did she even care why I hit the guy?

"That's not why I did it." I confessed, stepping closer but she wouldn't look up at me much less let me touch her, "I got jealous, okay? Maybe a bit possessive. He shouldn't have been speaking to you in that tone. You're an extraordinary girl, Hermione, that's why…" _I am a corny idiot!_

She finally looked up at me, her puffy eyes both skeptical and hopeful. She took a minute step forward, "That's why what?" her tone was quiet and I couldn't even begin to guess what she was thinking. But I would think it was along the lines of 'Did the guy that used to call me a mudblood just call me extraordinary?'

My nerves from earlier returned full-force. Here we were, in a foul smelling, trash invested, graffiti marked, dark alley and I was going to ask her here? _Yes, I was. _

"Hermione, I don't care what your surname is nor what my own is. All I really want is for you to become my wife." I got on one knee (I had heard from my mother that muggles do that. For what purpose, I don't know.) "Will you become Mrs. Draco Malfoy?"

I realized I had recited my whole speech while staring at the three carrot diamond ring that I had picked out earlier today for Hermione. The wedding ring. I focused on the ring too afraid to look up at Hermione who still had said nothing. Was she going to say no? Could she even do that?

"Yes." I looked up at her, I knew my face unveiled my surprise, "I want to marry you, Draco Malfoy." It would have sufficed if she had just agreed but she had said she 'wanted' to marry me. I knew I was grinning like a loon at this point.

"Really?" she laughed and I slipped the ring onto her slender finger, "Really." She answered her own face smiling. I kissed her once more, long and hard, this time she didn't push me away.

* * *

During the carriage ride back, Blaise joined us and he didn't look the least bit happy, the emotion I would have gone for was sincerely pissed off. He climbed into the carriage, uninvited of course, and we all sat in an uncomfortable silence. Hermione fidgeted nervously with her ring, I stared at her, and Blaise glared at the window. I opened my mouth to speak only to close it once more.

_Did I want to tell him I had proposed to her? Did Hermione want me to? Everyone knew we were going to get married, so did my proposal matter at all? Why was I freaking out?  
_

The carriage stopped, I gratefully stepped out into the muddy ground and waited for Hermione to follow. She got out and almost tripped over a tree root. I smirked and she glared. Just like old times with the exception of her former lapdogs.

"See you in class." I murmured to Blaise, leading Hermione away by pushing on the small of her back softly. Blaise looked up at me, for the first time today and I stopped. Quickly his face changed back to his normal 'I don't care' demeanor but I knew what I had seen. I hadn't been able to figure out what was bothering him the last few weeks, sympathy hadn't worked and I should have known that, but I hadn't tried to use my own charms to get to him, I wasn't put in Slytherin for nothing, after-all

"You want to come up to the Head's Common with us?" I asked just as Blaise started to walk away. He turned to me once more and raised an eyebrow, his eyes already unveiling his suspicion. He shrugged and replied, "I'm not sure." I blanked, how would I convince him to go up there with me. Begging would be too out of character for me.

"Blaise, I just got some new tea from your father, I forgot all about it, don't you want to try some? He said it would be quite good." Hermione piped up giving me a superior smile. I just smirked, her smile wavered slightly. I wondered how she had already figured out what I was thinking.

"Well, alright." Hermione smiled in approval, bad move on Blaise's part I had to admit. He actually believed that horrible lie. It was surely a lie. We headed back to the Head's Common Room and I couldn't help but think this would be a perfect way to find out more on that guy I had punched in the Three Broomsticks. All I had to do was put truth serum in both Blaise and Hermione's cups of tea. Once we entered I flopped lazily onto the couch, tired, and closed my eyes. Hermione went into the kitchen and started to make the tea. Blaise sat next to me, weighing the couch down further.

"I saw it." He said his voice low so that Hermione couldn't hear, "You didn't think I was that non-observant did you. Don't you think you could have bought a higher-classed ring, I could have got that from a toy store."

I scowled, "At least I have a love life." I muttered, Blaise smirked and replied, "I had Amelia Delfine last night? You must have mistaken me with someone that doesn't have these dashing good looks. You on the other hand, I haven't heard you bragging about any hot and steamy nights." I scowled memories and glanced at Hermione. Her hair was held high in a pony-tail and she was totally focused on the task in front of her. I looked back up at Blaise who was smirking at me again. I got up to help Hermione with the potion as I had grown annoyed by the unexpected turn in the conversation, she smiled at me slightly as I neared, she went to get the sugar for our tea and I saw the truth serum lying there. She was always two steps ahead, but of course I was three. I grabbed the empty cup that I assumed to be hers and poured two drops inside, I memorized the lion emblem on it. It would definitely be her's.

I went back to Blaise and glanced back at Hermione wondering what she was thinking at this very moment, trying not to be obvious and wondering why I cared. "You've got it bad." said Blaise, I am not good at being discreet. I just rolled my eyes, Malfoy's didn't fall in love. But a small part of me wished that they did. Hermione suddenly popped up in front of us gave each of us a cup of tea. Her's etched with a lion emblem on its side. We all took a tentative sip before looking at each other once more.

Hermione tucker her legs beneath her body as she situated herself on the chair by the fire. She looked up into my eyes as if checking if I wanted to go through with this, I nodded, there would be no turning back now. I just hopped none of her less desirable Gryffindor traits showed up this evening like guilt because I was pretty sure this was a big invasion of Blaise's 'privacy'.

"Alright. What now?" inquired Blaise who was now sitting on the edge of his seat. I looked up at Hermione for directions, I wasn't really sure how to go about doing this. Hermione smiled warmly, "I have a question for you, Draco." She put her finger to her chin as if in deep thought. "What did you first think when you realized I was your betrothed?" _What? _

I wasn't going to answer that, "You would be in my control and you wouldn't be able to do anything about it. The Golden Trio would be demolished, and with it their heroic reputation. No more articles about Potter and no more embarrassments for the pureblood race. We have enough of that from the Weasleys." SHIT! I looked guilty up at her, her face was hard. _How come I answered that?_ "Who was that guy in the Three Broomsticks that I punched?" I asked quickly, my body tensing slightly, her eyes widened before she muttered something inaudible under her breath, "What?" I asked, it would not be that easy. There was definitely truth serum involved in m earlier confession I now realized. I don't know how much more thicker I could be, I should have known!

"His name is Doven Tristal. He was my very first time and he dumped me right after. I mean directly afterwards, it was eleven and he made me go to the Gryffindor common room to sleep. I hit a depression after that and today was the first time I had come face to face with him." She glared at both of us daring us to call her on her stupidity of falling for someone like that, we didn't. "We're even." She added her voice in a monotone.

I nodded my head which was still facing the carpet. by Hermione's spoke once more in a louder and clearer voice than before, "Why were you so mad when you go back from Hogsmead?' Blaise now looked angrily up at Hermione. He now realized what was going on, just as I had. The pull of the truth serum was ebbing away at his resistance to answer.

"I saw," he gulped and glared at me and then, surprisingly, at Hermione, "a girl that I really like, snogging her idiotic boyfriend while I was in Honeydukes. There." He had gotten out of saying who the girl actually was. I guess we needed to be more specific for the truth serum to work affectively. He hurriedly got up off his chair and walked towards the door, prepared to leave us guessing. Although, Hermione had other plans.

"Who was the girl?" Blaise stopped, he blushed, it was quite a sight. Blaise hardly ever lost his composure, I felt guilty for doing this to him. But I was too curious to put a 'silencio' charm so I wouldn't hear what would come next.

"Weasley." _Was Blaise a poof! _"Ginny Weasley." For the love of Merlin! He likes the She-Weasel, I mean, he really likes _her_ out of the girls at Hogwarts? I stare up at him and eyes, both sharp and blue, confirm everything he had just confessed. He walked out of the door, leaving Hermione and I in an awed silence.

"Wow." She breathed, I nodded in agreement. 'Wow' would suffice for the confused feeling I currently felt concerning my best mate. She got up off her chair and sat next to me as if our proximity would help her think better. It probably would, I knew Blaise like the back of my hand. But instead of an intelligent and intimate discussion that ended with a long snogging session as I expected was about to happen next I got something of a slightly different nature. I turned my head to face her and then:

_SMACK!_

Hermione had just slapped the side of my head, I winced, why was this girl so strong? "That was for the truth serum in my tea." I got up and faced her in faux anger, I lowered myself so I was hovering just above her, there was no escape and she had to face the consequences, I then proceeded to snog her for a good four minutes, barely coming up for air in-between long and of course passionate kisses. "That was for the truth serum in _my_ tea." I strutted smugly into my room to take a _very_ cold shower, at least I had gotten my kiss, part of my expectations had been met. Who really needed conversation anyway?

**Thank you: faithful reviewers for being patient with me, I am terribly sorry but I had a bit of writer's block and I was ready to stop writing but then I thought of all the reviews I had gotten and didn't want to let you down. I now what is going to happen next and if want to know to keep reading and reviewing because otherwise my writing is utterly pointless. I love you all. -tink**


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Because You're Mine 

I lay awake, my mind's haziness told me that it was long after I usually go to sleep, but the day's events kept replaying like a movie reel in my mind's eye. I now thought of his anxious face as he proposed to me and his guilty one after his forced confession and of course the kiss, that wonderful kiss. I can say I am both worried and confused about our relationship, I can surely call it a relationship and not a purely platonic one at the least.

I was afraid to admit to myself the one thing that had been bothering me since I had accepted Draco's proposal. I couldn't even think the words for fear that they just might be true. I sat up on my bed and started to search in my bedside dresser, once I found what I had been searching for, I picked up a quill and proceeded to write.

October 31

Halloween

It is probably hours after the time which would give me enough sleep where I would be refreshed in the morning but my mind is buzzing with unorganized and puzzling information. The only time I usually write to you is in times where I feel like if I don't write the facts down then my problems will never be solved. Today was Halloween and it was full of drama for me. But all I can really think about is how confused I am, if I really should have said yes to Draco's proposal. Whether he really cares about me or if he is only doing this to please his parents, if he had really changed at all, or if it is me that has changed and not for the better.

Last year if I had felt this way my friends would have sent me to the infirmary but now…At this point in time I realize my feelings for Draco Malfoy have definitely changed. I no longer wish he was gone off the face of the planet yet I am not unconditionally "I would die for you" in love for him. I can say I like him but that is a feat in itself, the other thing I am afraid of saying and that I can't say for who knows who will find this paper and read it. I have already told secrets that I wish no one to hear.

Soon I will have to tell my parents all about Draco if they don't know already. I had been scared about meeting the Malfoys but they will be nothing compared to what Draco will have to deal with, he has no idea what the word prejudice means until he meets my mother, I am almost curious enough to leave him in the dark( I am not entirely over the years of taunting from him). But like the good witch I am, it is my duty to protect him against the woeful ways of the one and only Katherine Granger. Hopefully I won't have to write in you for a long while.

Sincerely Worried,

Hermione D'jore (I changed my name by the by)

I returned the notebook to its drawer, doused the candle with a single breath of air and let my dreams take me into the depths of my mind where maybe it would be generous enough to give me a few good hours of sleep so that in the morning I would be ready for anything for surely something wicked this way comes.

Next Morning

I woke up early in the morning to someone shaking me harshly, I sat up straight in bed feeling slightly dizzy form lack of sleep, I was almost certain that I would get a headache. For the second time in two days it was Draco but he seemed even more anxious then yesterday, scared even.

"Deatheaters!" I exclaimed jumping to conclusions as the early hour affected my brain as it does for most people who are shaken awake at the ungodly hour of seven in the morning.

"No" said Draco but his face was still anxious with a hint of annoyance on his face also, "Your parents arrived here this morning. Apparently, Blaise's dad told them about the engagement and they want all the details. They are currently taking residence in the common room." He looked down and then continued, "Good luck with that." He then hurried towards the door but I stopped him with the flick of my wand and levitated him back towards me.

"Thanks for the luck but you are not getting away that easy." And he wasn't. I spent 10 minutes in finding my most conservative clothing and then checked if Draco looked acceptable (he did), and five minutes on emphasizing the fact that he shouldn't under any circumstances mention that we practice wizardry or that this Hogwarts is a school that teaches it.

When I finally exited the room I was met by my parent's steely gaze. My mother, Katherine Granger had her hair tied up into an elegant bun, dressed in a white pant's suit as if she was on a business trip. Her face held little make up and her brown eyes were sharp while her lips were razor thin, she was a lawyer for my father's dentistry business. My father sat to the side of her, glasses placed on the bridge of his nose, worry lies on the side of his eyes, he smiled slightly. He was the more relaxed of the two and was used to dealing with my many problems, he was a former college professor turned dentist (don't ask why, it's a very long story).

I quickly went over and pecked both my parent's on the cheeks. My mother's face was still stiff and my father's worry lines had not lessened at the least, which was when I remembered Draco. He stood to the side of the door and looked like he wasn't sure what to do with himself, I beckoned him over and he reluctantly came.

"Draco, this is my father, Joseph Granger and my mother, Katherine Granger." Draco shook my father's hand and kissed my mother's as a gentleman was expected to do. But one measly kiss was not going to impress my mother. Straight A's could barely impress her.

We took a seat opposite them and I grew increasingly nervous, I hadn't been expecting this at all and I prided myself on always being prepared. I looked down for a second to collect my thoughts before speaking, "So, why are you guys here?" The moment I said it I instantly regretted it realizing my mistake.

My mother's nostrils flared and she replied, "Well, Mr. Zabini told us that our daughter was getting married so we were just a _bit_ curious to how the blazes this happened without us knowing anything about it." I smiled slightly, nervously.

"If it helps I didn't know I was going to get married until I got on the train ride to Hogwarts." I felt a pressure on my foot as Draco stepped on it, mistake number two.

"Are you, young lady, telling me that you are marrying this boy despite the fact that you don't love him?" my father asked me his tone not at all like I was used to but stern.

I paled before quickly answering, "Of course not, Daddy, me and Draco are deeply in love." I felt the pressure on my foot grow heavier as I made my third mistake of the morning. My father beamed at me and my mother raised her eyebrows suspiciously at my answer.

"With one of them?" she inquired.

"Begging your pardon Ma'am but what do you mean 'with one of them'?" Draco asked his tone casual but I had gotten to know him well enough to realize that this was a delicate topic with him. After all it's not everyday that a muggle (someone he thinks is inferior) decides to imply that he is infact the lesser of two races.

"Well" my mother began in an icy tone, "I always expected my daughter to marry someone with out your unusual talents, a normal person."

"Normal?" asked Draco incredulously.

"Yes, normal, you can't expect us to believe what they are teaching you in this school is normal. Flying on broomsticks and those chants of 'toil and trouble, cauldron bubble', I mean really." My mother replied her tone serious and not at all one that would allow Draco to argue with her.

But nonetheless Draco persisted, "Have you ever seen Hermione perform magic. She is known as the brightest witch of her age so it would be quite a sight to see." Did I not warn him before about mentioning magic in front of my parents?

"Witch?" my mother said disgusted, "they call you a witch?" I said nothing in response.

"Would you like to see it, I am almost certain it will change your views."

"No really it will be quite alright."

"Actually, I would." said my father coming to my rescue and smiling at me reassuringly. I smiled back at him but this did nothing to calm my new nerves. I had never performed magic in front of my parents before, there were so many spells to choose from.

"Impervius." I muttered and then after a second of consideration I muttered, "Aquamenti." A strong jet of water came out of my wand and headed for my mother but as moments ago I had said 'Impervius' my mother was now resistant to water and therefore stayed dry. My mother looked at me her face impassive before speaking.

"You could have gotten me wet." My father looked at her in an 'I can't believe you just said that way'.

"That was amazing, honey." He said his voice cheery but I presume he was probably trying to figure out the use for a spell like that, I should have chosen a different spell.

"Back to the wedding." My mother said again, "I was thinking we could have it at a hall or a church depending on Draco's religion." I paled how was I going to explain this to them without getting yelled at.

"Mom, the Malfoys have already decided how the wedding is going to be. It is going to be a wizard ceremony, you won't have to do a thing." I said trying to play on the advantages.

"You mean we won't be involved at all?" asked my mother raising a thin eyebrow, "Are you saying my opinion doesn't make a difference on your wedding day?"

"No, not-" Draco began but was once again cut off by my mother.

"I would like to speak with your parents, Draco. Immediately as the current situation just will not do." My mother said and I knew that I needed to prevent this from happening. If Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy found out that I was a Granger-all hell would break loose.

"Mom, they can't. Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy were here just yesterday and it has been their life-long dream for their son to have a perfect marriage. You see-"

"My parents are terminally ill." Draco finished solemnly. Very twisted yet effective as I saw my mother's eyes widen and then soften as she looked at Draco in a different light. Yes. Straight A's barely impressed my mother but telling her your parent's are terminally ill gets her to let you do whatever you want.

The rest of the day was spent with my parents as we gave them a tour of the school( they imagined it as a normal muggle one and ignored the spells that they saw performed as we passed students), my parents further inquired about Draco's upbringing and his status at school which we didn't have to lie about, and finally they joined us at dinner which gave us immediate pause as to wear to sit. I was not allowed at the Slytherin table as much as Draco was allowed at the Gryffindor table.

I opted on the choice of them joining me at the Gryffindor table while Draco went to sit with Pansy and Blaise who both raised a hand in greeting. I felt that oddly comforting as I realized that I had grown close to the two Slytherins as the school year had progressed. I sat by with my parents at the end of the table as I hadn't spoken to Ginny since she had declined my offer of Maid of Honor.

"Why isn't Draco sitting with us?" asked my father helping himself to the food that was no appearing on the table without questioning how it had gotten there as I had expected him to.

"House rivalries. Gryffindors and Slytherins are basically sworn enemies so he wouldn't exactly be welcome here." I replied putting gravy over my mashed potatoes and realizing that showing my parents around all day had made me quite hungry.

"Why aren't you sitting with your other friends Harold and Russ." My mother asked her eyes suspicious. I don't think she wanted to find out that her daughter was a loner.

"_Harry_,_ Ronald,_ and I have grown apart and we haven't been on the best terms lately. They don't exactly get along with Draco so that hasn't helped our friendship at the least." I said and then concentrated on my plate, my mother took the hint and she talked to my father for the rest of the dinner.

I waited for my parents to finish their food and as they did so I glanced at my fellow Gryffindors. Some were eating quietly, others laughing loudly, and others still were speaking in hushed whispers as if they knew the most important secret ever to be let loose on the wizarding world. I spotted Ginny at the other end of the table and caught her eye but she immediately looked away. Then surprisingly I caught Harry's eye and he held my glaze, not in a glaring 'you're a traitor' kind a way, but something different. I was the one that looked away this time, confused.

At the end of the night Draco and I said farewell to my parents as they went to Dumbledore's office so they could get back home. My mother actually hugged Draco and my father shook his hand firmly. Weirdly enough I think they liked Draco more than they had liked Harry and Ron and I hadn't been forced into being their friend.

I was glad when I could finally get in my pajamas and fall asleep but just as my mind was closing down and my body was fully relaxed, Draco came into my room and sat next to me on my bed. I sat up slightly and groggily asked, "What?"

He joined me under the blankets and I decided not to move away, if he tried anything I could hex him. He turned towards me on the bed and asked, "How are we going to explain to your parents at the wedding that my parents aren't _actually_ terminally ill?"

Hmm, that was a good question…

The next morning I woke up with Draco sleeping next to me. It wasn't the most comfortable position as my bed was only made for one but his presence beside me, his arm draped over me pulling me closer to him made me grin. I didn't move his arm or wiggle out of his grasp but instead I snuggled closer to him loving the way his body felt against mine.

"Can't keep your hands off me. Can you Granger?" I blushed but said nothing. I expected him to pull away now that he was awake but instead he pulled me even closer to him and we spent the next half hour, snuggling. Looking back I would realize that you need to treasure moments like those. But being me, I finally got out of bed, kissed Draco lightly on the forehead and took a shower. When I went back to my room he was gone, the sight of a Draco-less bed slightly saddened me but I got ready for classes as usual.

When I got to the common room Draco was waiting for me his head dropping slightly as he lazily stared at his empty coffee cup. I giggled and he looked up smiling as we walked together towards the Great Hall. I felt his arm grab hold of my waist and I stopped surprised.

"What are you doing?" I asked incredulously my eyes giving away my suspicion. He also looked surprised before chuckling.

"I'm lovingly putting my arm around my fiancée. Is there a problem?" I was unsure. I means sure when you said it like that it sounded okay but when you looked at the people in the situation. But we had done more intimate things than this, it was just weird having him holding me in public. You know, where people could _see_.

We entered the Great Hall and nobody even glanced our way, I smiled, and Draco let go of me. "See you in class." He whispered in my arm giving me goose bumps which I think was what he was going for. I nodded and took my seat at the Gryffindor table sitting next to Parvarti and Lavender.

" Good morning, Hermione." They both greeted me happily and I smiled in return and returned the greeting. Then as I was going over the ingredients in a Revival Potion I felt someone slide into the seat next to me. I didn't even glance up until finally the person tapped me on the shoulder.

"You always were preoccupied at breakfast." said the voice of Harry Potter with no hint of malice or sarcasm. I stayed silent not sure how to react to him talking to me again. I kept thinking that there might be an ulterior motive but then a bigger part of me wished that he just wanted to be friends again. To bring the Golden Trio back together.

"Alright, 'Mione. I have something that I want to talk to you about but not here." He glanced at Lavender and Parvarti who were chatting in the seats on the opposite side of the table. I raised an eyebrow and asked, "If this is about rejoining the Order you're just wasting your time." I picked up my fork and took a bite out of my pancake.

"It has nothing to do with that. We need to get out of here before Ron comes. He didn't exactly agree with my decision but he'll come around." I sighed not sure whether or not to follow him or not. I finally got up and we both exited out of the hall.

We came to an empty class and we both entered and I locked the door, but made sure that I had my wand firmly in my hand. I hadn't spoken to Harry in a while and wasn't sure if I even trusted him anymore, "Out with it then." I prompted my voice uneven.

"Okay, I have the potion that can get you out of marrying Malfoy and I have decided that I'll give it to you because I have been being a complete an utter prat and even though you've changed a bit over the summer you are still my friend and I would be as cold-hearted as…Malfoy, if I allowed you to be forced into marrying him." I had not been expecting that, nope, not even remotely expecting that.

"Are-are you serious?" I stuttered. This is the chance I had been waiting for since the moment I found out that I was betrothed to Draco Malfoy I should have been jumping at the chance to be free to live whatever life I wanted, but oddly enough I wasn't.

"Dead serious. I got the potion out of Dumbledore ages ago but with all our problems and stuff I wasn't sure whether or not to give it to you. I mean I know we both didn't mean the things we have said to each other so we can put it all behind us now and things can go back to the way they were before." He said smiling.

I thought about the months that I had spent with Draco, Pansy, and Blaise and the times that I had actually talked to my old friends and the way they had treated me. I hesitated before saying, "I have to think about it."

"What is there to think about. I'm giving you a ticket to freedom! What more could you want? We could be friends again all of us." This seemed harder to believe now that I thought about it, us just going back to being best mates. Just like that.

"There is a lot to consider, Harry. I mean where do you think I was this whole time when you and Ginny and Ron were hanging out. I was with Draco, Blaise, and Pansy and I like them. As people. No spells involved, they're my friends." I said each word harder to say than the next.

Harry gave me a look, I had seen the look before. He was disappointed in me, he hadn't been expecting this. He had been expecting me to jump for joy, I had to, "Well, the option is always there," he said stiffly, "I have to get to class Hermione. I'll talk to you later. Then he was gone. I was left alone in the room, left alone with my own thoughts.

Then the door burst open again, Draco entered looking angry, "Why were you in here with Potter? Why?" I stayed silent, surprised. I couldn't think I could barely hear his yells over my old jumbled thoughts.

"You're with him aren't you! Is that it, you love Potter! I should have known. I knew it was too good to be true. The way you were acting towards me, a Slytherin. Impossible!" His face was tinged pink from frustration and his bangs had gone into his face. He was too angry to move it, his hands were shaking.

"No, Draco." I said softly, "All of it. You have it all wrong. I don't love Harry and I haven't been pretending about my feelings for you." He stopped fuming to stare at me as if he could tell whether or not I was lying through my gaze.

"How do you feel about me then?" he asked stubbornly, his eyes holding my gaze still.

Without skipping a beat I replied, "I want to marry you." He moved closer to me and grabbed both my hands, his eyes still held my gaze, I was too entranced to look away.

"What were you talking about then? What was so important that had to be discussed in an empty classroom."

"Nothing of importance." I answered and then kissed him lightly on the lips. He nodded in understanding.

"Good." He kissed me, hard and with feeling, I was about to pull away but he just pushed his lips harder against my own in a demanding way. He wasn't asking me to kiss him, he was telling me. When the kiss ended he leaned his forehead on my own and whispered, "Because you're mine."

Sorry for not updating in so long. Been busy but over Spring Break I made some time to update. Pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Read and Pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Review. Make my day for me!


	19. Chapter 18

Chapter 18: A Profound Jealousy 

I trailed behind my fiancée, furious with rage and confusion. Her speed picked up and I yelled after her.

"Hermione!" she didn't even pause but instead seemed to go even faster if possible. I suddenly broke into a run and took hold of her arm, "What is wrong with you?"

She glared up at me, her eyes cold, she had been weirdly distant towards me since that day I had found her with Potter which had worried me more than usual since a month had already passed since the incident, "Let go of me." She commanded I was even more surprised at her harsh tone and realized that there had to be something she wasn't telling me.

"Not until you tell me what's wrong." I said quietly, carefully. Her arm seemed to weaken and I looked into her eyes and saw a profound hurt.

"I saw you." I blinked, _doing what?_ "With her! I thought you actually liked me and not just because you had to but because…I don't know why! Maybe I should have just taken up on Harry's offer."

"You followed me?" I asked angrily, "I can't believe you didn't trust me enough that you had to follow me!"

"I obviously had good reason not to. What you did was unforgivable." She tried to walk away but my hand was firm, keeping her from moving.

"Don't." I sighed, "Just don't. You don't know the whole story."

"It was pretty self-explanatory." She said evenly. I cupped her face in my hands and looked at her for what I hoped was in a deeply touching way, "Trust me," she shook her head stubbornly, "Trust me." I repeated soothingly.

"All you've ever done is given me reason not to trust you." She tore her eyes away from my own and I took my hands away from her face, "But if you can explain then who am to try and stop you," I now knew she didn't want to believe what she had seen, not really.

"Okay." I breathed deeply, relieved, "follow me." She hesitated slightly before trailing a good length behind me obviously not yet comfortable to walk by my side just yet. I brought her to the Transfiguration classroom, not an empty one at that, I walked inside with my usual flair and in turn received a glared from Professor McGonagall.

"Mr. Malfoy despite the fact that you are Head Boy the position does not give you the perk of skipping your classes…and Ms. Gran-D'jore I expected better of you."

"Actually we are on Head business, Professor." I lied smoothly while Hermione just stood silently behind me, "We need to ask Tristina Alsworth a few questions."

"You heard him, Ms. Alsworth. Don't dawdle I expect you back by 10:45." With that said Professor McGonagall centered her attention once more on the dancing broom in front of her.

Tristina Alsworth was taller than Hermione and definitely very different than my wife to be. She had long bouncy blonde colored hair, sharp grey eyes, and pale skin. But most importantly she had a visible confidence that radiated off of her constantly. This resulted in Hermione staring up at her with suspicion and Tristina looking defiantly back.

"Hermione, Tristina-Tristina, Hermione." I said with flourish hoping to break the intensely uncomfortable mood, "Hermione is my fiancée and Tristina is my friend." I continued hoping that one of them might miraculously contribute to the conversation.

"Draco, I need to get back to class can we talk later or something?" Tristina asked me annoyed, this was not going well.

"Later?" whispered Hermione harshly, "Draco, I catch you holding her close-kissing her, even ("It was on the forehead!") and you expect me to stand here as you schedule another rendezvous?"

"Wait what are implying?" asked Tristina venomously and giving me a sharp glance, "I am not doing anything with Draco, I have a boyfriend." I saw Hermione pause as if unsure if whether she heard correctly and then give Tristina a questioning look.

"So you and Draco aren't and have never been romantically involved. And you're with…" She trailed off here probably thinking once she had a name she would be able eto believe for sure that nothing was going on.

"Potter, Harry Potter." She said in a proud manner.

"WHAT? Tristina Alsworth are you bloody insane, you have to be blooming joking! Potter… Merlin…don't you have standards?" Hermione raised her eyebrows as if to say "jealous?" and Tristina rolled her eyes, "What's not to like he's gorgeous, rich, and famous. Not to mention the best se-"

"DO NOT finish that sentence." I said disgusted at the mere thought and then I noticed Hermione glaring once again at Tristina. What now?

"Are you aware that Harry has a girlfriend?" she asked icily. Weaslette, you will ruin everything! "So when you're not snuggling with my _fiancée _you're having an affair with Harry, very nice to make your acquaintance, I can't believe I have gone this long without meeting you." with that Hermione walked away without another word, Tristina glaring at her back.

"They broke up. Harry told me they broke up, tell your friend to get all the information before yelling at someone." And with that as her final word Tristina left my side. Maybe if she had known that Hermione was almost always right she might have reconsidered her last words but as it was she didn't and I was left standing alone in the corridor, fruitless in my attempts to get Hermione to trust me again and to get closer to Tristina.

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The rest of my classes seemed to be a blur as my mind was engulfed by my never ceasing problems. First, it was Hermione finding me with Tristina, then it was finding out that Tristina was with Potter, and finally that the upcoming Quidditch game and my total lack of strategy. When I entered the Head's common room at the end of the day I saw Hermione staring blankly into the fire, a troubled expression set onto her face which probably matched my own.

"Hermione?" she looked at me and frowned, "Are we okay?" She stared down at her hands before replying, "I have to tell Ginny but I can't. She probably wouldn't believe me if I told her anyway." She was obviously talking about the whole Potter situation.

"Why can't you tell her?" I asked in confusion and hoping that this meant that my problems with Hermione were finally over.

"She won't talk to me. She thinks I'm some Deatheater in training thanks to Harry. The whole of Gryffindor probably thinks that by now."

"You're no Deatheater!" I cried angrily, "They don't have a clue to what their even talking about. Why does everyone think that once you're a Deatheater there is no way you could change or actually help the world? What if wasn't your choice, what if there was nothing you could do?"

"Draco, what are you talking about?" Hermione exclaimed in a frustrated tone.

"Nothing." Maybe if Hermione hadn't been so preoccupied she would have pursued the issue further and maybe I would have told her things that no one else knew. Maybe.

"What are you going to do about Weasley?" Hermione shook her head sadly signifying that there was just about nothing that could be done about the unfortunate problem.

"I can't do anything if Ginny won't even speak to me. But I _can_ do something about this Tristina Alsworth prat."

"Leave Tristina out of this." I said trying not to get too defensive for fear of Hermione's reaction, "she's done nothing to you." Hermione stared blankly back at me.

"I would feel more comfortable if you didn't see her again...ever if possible." It was phrased as a request but I knew that it was more of an order. I realized that she was already controlling me and we had yet to even wed, yet I found it slightly amusing despite the dire situation I was in.

"I can't." I said simply, there was no beating around the bush here, "I won't" This was met by a moment of silence before she answered me.

"Why not? Why can't you stop seeing her? She's not your friend…I haven't heard her mentioned once, not once, why is she so important now?"

"I can't tell you." I answered, "It's too dangerous for you to know, a slip of any kind could be disastrous."

"Then I can't trust you."

"Hermione!"

"I need to know, Draco. That's the only way." My mind whirled with the number of ways this could go wrong but when I thought of the consequence of not telling Hermione I couldn't tell which was worse. Hermione wouldn't purposely tell someone my secret but a simple spell could easily change that. I felt her eyes on me and I winced before I finally relented.

"Alright!" I heaved a long sigh stalling and hoping for the right words to miraculously to come, "Tristina and I-"

The portrait hole suddenly swung open saving me from saying anything else. We were both surprised as Blaise came inside and stood at the entrance staring blankly at us while we stared blankly back.

"Blaise?" inquired Hermione in a worried tone, "Blaise, what's wrong?" Blaise looked at her before staring directly at me and saying, "I screwed up."

We listened to Blaise's tale as he grudgingly accepted a pot of tea (devoid of truth serum) and told us in detail exactly what had occurred while we listened intently so we might have a clue as to what had put him in such a daze.

"I was walking into the Great Hall to find Nott so we could come over here and discuss the upcoming Quidditch game but he wasn't there." Here he paused and looked as if he was reliving a bad memory, "So I was just about to leave when I saw Weaslette in a heated conversation with Potter about something or other. I went over to taunt them a bit and maybe get the gist of their conversation but when I actually got there all I could think about was kissing Weasley like I had on our date a while back. So I snogged her."

"You did what! With Harry right there, I can't believe you!" Hermione ranted, I just smirked as I thought about the look on Potter's face when he saw a Slytherin kissing his girlfriend, but then again he was 'with' Tristina.

"Then what?" I prompted with a mischievous grin.

"She slapped me, Potter threatened me, and then left."

"Just like that. You just kissed her and ran for it?" My smirk widened, maybe someone found a spell to replay that over and over and over again.

"Well, I smirked then left but I think we can all agree that it was an idiotic move on my part."

"I think what you did was bloody brilliant." Blaise smiled weakly at my comment.

"That is because you're insane." Replied Hermione icily, meaning she was still expecting an explanation about Tristina but not even Blaise knew about her.

"Potter is cheating on Weasley so he had it coming." I said in retaliation to her comment, Hermione kicked me and Blaise's eyes widened considerably.

"What? That bloody bastard! Just because he's famous…" Blaise mumbled the rest of his sentence inaudible.

"You can't tell Ginny, she won't believe you. Especially after that stunt you just pulled." said Hermione slowly, already accessing the problem at hand.

"Then you tell her, someone has to."

"I can't." Hermione responded simply.

"Why the hell not? Someone has to." replied Blaise heatedly. The night dragged on full of arguments on what to do about Ginerva Weasley and her boyfriend yet when I finally fell asleep on the couch next to my two companions I realized that nothing had been solved and if tomorrow didn't get any better we would all have even bigger problems than we already had to deal with. All this thanks to the annoying red-headed Gryffindor and I couldn't wait to thank her.

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When I woke up the next day I hurriedly got up for even thought it was Saturday I had Quidditch practice. I took a quick shower, grabbed my broom, and headed for the pitch. Not even checking if Hermione was still sleeping. My plan for now was to avoid her-her and her questions.

At the practice the team did a few drills before landing on the ground and trying to come up with some new plays while taking turns glaring at the cause of our dilemma: Blaise. Every team member had a new idea and each boy was shot down including me. I left the practice early furious at myself and my teammates, closely followed by Blaise. I didn't return to my common room, as my plan of avoiding Hermione wouldn't work as well if I went to the place where she spent most of her time when she was out of class, so I went to visit Pansy.

When I entered the Slytherin dorms I checked the common room for Pansy and then Tristina but both were not there so I proceeded to the 7th year girl's dorms (Pansy had preformed a spell which overturned the boy blocking charm that had been so inconveniently placed there.)

Upon my arrival in the room I realized that Pansy was absent from there also and that my luck had just run out. For there sat Hermione, her back to me, sitting on Pansy's bed, and unsurprisingly reading a muggle book.

I stood there silently not sure how to proceed and then she noticed me, "Draco!" she looked suddenly uncomfortable.

"What are you dong here?" I asked, how had my seemingly perfect plan failed so quickly?

"Reading." Was her obvious answer.

"Why couldn't you do that in the Head's Dorms?"

"I needed some peace and quiet." She replied hurriedly and with a quick glance at the door.

"Our common room is empty how much more peace and quiet can you get?" I asked amused and now with a smirk present on my face, I wasn't alone with a plan to avoid someone which made me smirk further for both out plans had failed miserably.

"It was too quiet." She paused and then turned the tables, "What were you doing here?" she might as well have said "cheating on me with Tristina, right?"

"I needed inspiration from Pansy, you know for Quidditch." I lied smoothly rather than saying I was here avoiding her wrath, "We might as well forfeit the next game. Weasley probably told all of her bloody team or plays by now." I flopped down on the bed opposite of Hermione. "But what would you know about Quidditch, anyway?"

In half and hour's time I learned that Hermione D'jore, well-known bookworm, knew quite a lot about Quidditch. She also conveniently knew quite a bit about my opponent so we spent the next four hours going over strategy, weaknesses, and the stupidity of all things involved with Potter. Overall, it was very gratifying.

When we were done we went to go check on Blaise (to make sure he wasn't suicidal). He had been especially glum since the day before but we had found him asleep or what I suspected was him pretending to be asleep.

So we continued down to our common room but were interrupted before we even got halfway there by the Golden trio: Potter, Weasley, and Weaslette. There was only one way to get to our common room and that was the way the trio was blocking.

I put a comforting hand on Hermione's back and she looked defiantly at the group, "Do you mind moving?' this was not said in the nicest of tones, more evidence of me rubbing off on her.

"Maybe if you asked nicely," leered Weasley, "we might consider it." Potter and Weaslette said nothing. I noticed Hermione glaring at Weasley, I think only so she didn't have to come eye to eye with his sister.

"Come on, Ron." Prompted Potter tiredly giving him an exasperated glance, "This is _Hermione _we're talking about."

"Don't do me any favors, Harry." said Hermione in a clear voice, I was surprised at the lack of emotion. When she used to talk to them before you could always tell there was pent up anger or a hidden sadness. But right now, nothing.

"Don't talk to my boyfriend like that!" Weaslette said finally opening her mouth. Confirming that it was indeed true, Potter was cheating on Weaslette with my-

"I bet you wouldn't say that if you knew what I knew." replied Hermione scathingly. Ginny huffed indignantly and rolled her eyes.

"Right!" she exclaimed sarcastically, "Like anything you say to me would be credible. A Deatheater's word might as well be silence for the amount of meaning it holds."

My eyes narrowed but before I could respond with a biting rebuttal, Hermione came up with her own, "I've never lied to you, and you know it. But Golden Boy over here, can you even count the time she had lied or hurt you? No wonder you're so miserable, Ginerva, everyone is lying to your face and you refuse to accept it but when someone tells you the truth-"

"SHUT UP!"

Hermione smiled eerily, "The truth hurts doesn't it?" I couldn't help but realize that Hermione only said it because she knew from experience.

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At the whistle I flew high into the cloudy sky, my eyes already searching for the golden ball. The ball that would gain us our first win of the season, the ball that had occupied my mind, tested my strengths, and literally shown me my weaknesses. I glanced at Potter who was eagerly searching as well, I couldn't help but feel confident because I knew I had Hermione on my side this time. At least in the emotional sense seeing as she was standing at the Gryffindor side of the stadium.

Suddenly I heard the commentary, "And another goal for Gryffindor leading 60 to 30…" spoke a dreamy voice, Loony Lovegood, I had zoned out. I scanned the stadium with one eyes and watched Potter with the other.

I saw a glint and flew after it, thinking it was a false alarm, but hoping it wasn't. I speed faster towards the snitch, as it was in fact that, and felt Potter trailing behind me.

Suddenly I heard Hermione's voice, screaming above the uproar, "Come on, Draco!" I smiled slightly and sped faster towards the ball then I leaned forward and as my hand latched on the ball, I was hit hard in the side and the ball fluttered out of my reach. I glared at Potter who smiled back at me. I heard screams of happiness and outrage in the stands below. I cursed before continuing my search.

An hour later, with no signs of the snitch, we were still searching and I was growing tired and discouraged. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Potter fly towards the left, he had seen the snitch! Right? But then Hermione's voice popped into my head, "_He will try to trick you. He'll faint towards the wrong side, it's his signature move. He's seen the snitch but at the opposite side of the stadium, he'll let you go ahead of him thinking that you've won. He won't loose sight of it but you will. Don't fall for it!_"

Then I saw it, towards the right of the Potter, as Hermione predicted. I dove towards it at the same time as Potter did. We crashed together but in my hand I clutched the snitch! "SLYTHERIN WINS! SLYTHERIN WINS!"

I landed proudly on the ground getting jumped on my teammates as they praised my utterly spectacular save. Then I heard Potter, "Feeling good right about now, aren't you Malfoy?"

I stepped away from my cheering team and couldn't help but say, "Pretty damn good."

"Well, I need to ask you something." His tone had turned suddenly serious so I let him continue.

I raised an eyebrow, "What does Hermione know that Ginny doesn't?"

I heard my teammates go silent. Why was he asking me this now? "Let's just say your sexual escapades are now open to the public." I sneered trying to give our audience( my team) as little information as possible.

"Parvarti, how did Hermione find out about her?" my cheeks grew red with rage, "NOT PATIL, Alsworth, Tristina Alsworth!"

"Oh her." He smirked, "Not a problem."

"Stay away from her."

"Or what?" taunted Potter.

I glared at him harshly deciding that my silence would be enough of an answer but it seemed Potter wanted to test my limits today.

Potter grinned as if I had said something stupid, "I got her hooked, that whore worships me."

My fists clenched and I gritted my teeth before saying, "What did you just say?"

"That whore-" before I knew what I was doing I was going for Potter. When I say 'going for' I mean I was punching Potter, kicking him, attacking every part of him I could reach. I felt Blaise get a hold of me and the Potter picked himself up off the ground and once he was balanced he walked up to where I stood, held back by Blaise and he punched me. Blaise let go of me then and it became an all out brawl. I heard teachers yelling in the distance and the last thing I remembered was the shout of a spell.

What I had failed to see was Hermione, who had been standing there the whole time, filled with a profound jealously as she realized exactly what we were fighting about.

Sorry this took so long but I've had this written for a while, just haven't had the time to type it all up. Please read and review cause I have missed your comments!


	20. Chapter 19

Chapter 19: There is something...

As I stared down at the boy before me I couldn't help but realize that I had disliked him as soon as I had first laid eyes on him. The first time I had met Draco Malfoy, the first time I had witnessed his surprising blonde hair, piercing eyes that were neither blue nor gray, and his offensive attitude to all things muggleborn I had felt as if I was the dirt beneath his feet.

Why? Well, that was easily explained. The first time Draco Malfoy had so much as looked at me his eyes had gleamed with intense loathing and I had become instantly petrified (not literally of course). His very aura had radiated his feelings for me. And at first, I couldn't understand it.

But then he had walked up to me with a nasty sneer on his then abnormally pale face and his two blundering cronies trailing behind him with anticipation. The first thing he said to me I can still vividly remember "What are you doing here, you filthy mudblood?"

Again I was confused, I had no idea what the word 'mudblood' meant but I was sure it wasn't anything good. But of course being a naive eleven year old girl, I had replied with the following: "I'm sorry." My tone had implied that I was anything but, "You must be mistaken. My name is Hermione Granger and I have yet to make your acquaintance." Then I had stupidly stuck out my hand, expecting him to shake it, and awaited my apology. For I was sure he had made some sort of mistake.

Instead, he had stared down at my hand with unveiled disgust and I lowered my hand shocked to say the least. Then he continued my stating, "I don't care what your vile muggleborn parents named you. I just want to make my sentiments clear to you _utterly_ _stupid_ mudblood brain." I realized at this point that he had no tact.

Finally, after what I think is much patience on my part, I reacted, "I would greatly appreciate if you would stop insulting me and my family so I can make my own sentiments clear to your _utterly pathetic_ blonde head."

Before I could continue however he clapped his hand over my mouth, "Now, now, mudblood that is no way to speak to your superiors, now is it?" He smirked his infamous smirk that to this day I loathe and looked back at the two enormous soon-to-be Slytherins behind him who chuckled as was expected, "As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted I would like you to realize that you don't _belong_ in Hogwarts. I, Draco Malfoy, want you to know that as a solemn promise to you: I will make your life here a living hell so that you will be constantly aware of how out of place you _truly_ are."

Yes, that was how the Great Draco Malfoy had first introduced himself. With a promise which he had most definitely kept. But despite all the things Draco Malfoy had done in the past I realize that I had never hated him more than I had at that very moment, sitting beside him while he lay injured and unconscious. Of all the things he had ever done to torture me, making me believe he was a good person and getting me to trust him and then throwing it all away like I meant nothing to him made my insides churn in revulsion.

Yet on the other side of the room lay Harry Potter and his significant other (Ginny) and she knew nothing. From the worried look on her face she hadn't heard what the cause of their fight had been about and was probably so worried she hadn't slept at all for fear he would wake up without her to comfort him. Of course, I hadn't slept either but that was for entirely different reasons.

Suddenly, there was as rustle in the sheets and I looked at the bed beside me as Draco tiredly opened one blue-grey eye and smiled. If I had been any other teenage girl I would have smiled back but instead I just stared, expressionless, as he sat up and stretched. I didn't trust myself to speak. And it wasn't because I was about to swoon.

"I'm glad you're here." I said nothing and he finally gave me his full attention, "Is there something wrong?"

"What happened?" I asked stonily even though I had been there to witness the whole fight. From the first insult to the last punch. I tried not to show my emotions on my face, but Draco's blank expression was angering me more than he knew.

He sighed before saying, "It was stupid really. I mean Potter over-reacted a bit about losing." He gave a side-ways glance towards Harry to make sure he was still unconscious, "He insulted me, I let my temper get the best of me and then well you know what happened next."

"That doesn't sound at all like Harry." I said giving him one last chance to confess what had really at the Quiddich match. It took all my patience to do this.

"Well Potter isn't the perfect little hero that everyone thinks he is." countered Draco a bit harsher than necessary and I saw Ginny give a glare in our direction but either Draco didn't notice or chose not to. I stayed silent so Draco continued saying, "The spell that hit me was really powerful, I'm sore all over."

"It should be, I put all my energy in that spell." Draco's eyes widened in realization as I said this and I couldn't help but feel satisfied as he started to shift uncomfortably in his bed.

"You cast that spell?" he asked finally his voice wavering slightly.

"I'm really disappointed in you Draco." I said in a mocking tone and as if I hadn't heard his question, "I mean first fighting over Tristina Alsworth and then lying to me about it. Why didn't you just confess that you're involved with her? Why do you need to keep so many secrets?"

"I'm not cheating on you." He said blankly, I was stunned that he would lie right to my face especially when I had just caught him in another lie moments earlier.

"Stop lying!" I exclaimed tears welling up in my eyes and my voice sounding too controlled as I fought back all the sadness inside me, "I heard you with my own ears, defending her. I mean do you love her?"

"Not in that way."

"So you do love her?"

"As a friend, a confident, and most importantly-"

"Merlin, Draco! I hope you get better, but I refuse to sit here and listen to you praising her in front of me." I quickly walked towards the door trying to compose myself as I felt Ginny's eyes on me. I promised myself I wouldn't cry, not in front of them.

As I exited the hospital wing I kept my head down and willed the tears to stop and quickened my pace. Suddenly instead of turning the corridor and going into the Head's Dorm, I found myself falling to the floor as I bumped into a very solid object.

As I looked up I realized that object was in fact a person, the person that I had never wanted to see again much less in my current state of agitation. Tristina Alsworth.

"Would you watch where you're going!" she exclaimed angrily, picking up her fallen possessions which I noticed included a Get Well Card.

"I wouldn't have to if you just stayed out of my way!" I retorted my voice wavering at every word as I willed myself not to cry, I blamed this girl for what Draco did to me as much as I blamed Draco himself. She knew he was my fiancé but she was with him anyway. He loved her.

"What is your problem?" Tristina asked in a slightly angered voice, "What have I ever done to you?"

"Ohh, that's rich!" I exclaimed scathingly and felt a tear brush my cheek which I quickly brushed away with the swipe of my hand. If Tristina noticed she didn't show it. She just shook her head and tried to walk past me but I refused to move. She raised an eyebrow waiting for an explanation, "Where are you going?"

"Hospital wing to visit my boyfriend not that it's any of _your_ business." She replied her eyes seemed a bit more serious as she said this, she glanced past me towards the Hospital Wing.

"Is that what the card's for?" I asked in a fake sweet voice, she nodded, "No card for Draco?" She frowned before replying.

"He has a girlfriend for that." She gave me a pointed stare. _The nerve of her, implying that I'm not good enough for Draco! _My temper was quickly rising.

"Fiancé." I corrected before adding, "Harry has a girlfriend for that too, and her name is _Ginny_."

She huffed loudly and in a frustrated tone replied, "For Merlin's sake, they are over! Now can you please move so I can visit my _sick_ boyfriend? Or do I have to make you?" I saw her reach in her pocket for her wand but I ignored her petty threat.

"He doesn't really care for you _or Parvarti_. But I think he really cares for Ginny even if he does treat her the way he does. And even though I haven't spoken to her since Halloween, I won't let you break her heart. She's by his side, been there all night, worried and doesn't have a bloody clue that you even exist or even if she does will deny it until the very end. She has probably found some way to blame herself for him being in the hospital wing so will you just leave them alone!"

Tristina glared at me, "I don't believe you."

I sighed, "I'll show you, as long as you promise not to go inside to see Harry….or Draco."

"I'm not promising anything." She replied stubbornly, pouting slightly.

"Then I can't promise I won't hex you."

She glared, "Fine."

"Good, follow me." As she did I lead her to the window of the Hospital Wing. You could barely see through it because of all the dust but you could see clearly Ginny, holding Harry's hand while looking down at him worriedly, he had just woken up.

He ran his hand through her hair and grinned and she smiled weakly in return before giving him a card which in bold letters read: GET WELL SOON! He smiled and kissed her gently on the lips, I risked a glance across the room and saw Draco glaring at them but saying nothing. No yells about how Harry was cheating or the real cause of the fight.

I turned around and Tristina was gone, the only sign she had been there was a card with a big red heart on it that read: _Feel Better Harry!_ I picked it up and threw it in the trash.

More confused than when the day had begun.

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I looked at my empty dormitory and I realized I was the first Head Girl in fifty years to move out of the Heads Dorms. It had been a full two weeks since the Quiddich match and I still hadn't forgiven Draco. He had owled me letters; I had returned them back to sender. He had tried explaining verbally but I just walked away before he could even open his mouth. He had even tried getting Blaise to help him but Blaise didn't get past my bedroom door.

No, I wasn't still angry. Instead, I felt betrayed, used, fooled. I didn't know when I would actually talk to Draco again but I realized I couldn't put if off forever, we were still engaged.

At that moment, Draco came through the door; He spelled the door shut and stood calmly before me. I raised my eyebrow but otherwise made no comment.

"Your moving out." I nodded.

"My parents expect you at the Manor for Christmas." Today was the last day of school before winter break which provided the perfect opportunity to pack up and leave without anybody questioning as to why the Head Girl was moving out.

"I'll be at my parents." The first words I said to him in weeks, a lie.

"Fine." Then he walked out. I stared out after him not sure what to make of what just happened. I shook my head, pretended I had never been interrupted, settled a box on my hip, and walked towards the Gryffindor Dorms. It would be a long Christmas at Hogwarts.

**Later…**

I settled in my new dorm just before dinner and hoped that Lavender and Parvarti wouldn't make it a big deal. But knowing them, which I did since I had lived with them for six years, they _would_ make a big deal out of it.

So as I made my way down to the Great Hall, stalling slightly, I decided I would tell them now. At dinner and hoped they wouldn't crave any attention by screaming excitedly as they usually would. Once I was inside I headed right toward the Gryffindor table not even glancing at the Slytherin table where I usually ate my meals now.

Many were surprised to see me over at my old table and I could see it didn't bode well with some, I heard a few snickers, but decided to ignore them, what else could I have done to stop them anyway.

I sat down next to Parvarti and across from Lavender, they both greeted me with enthusiasm as was their nature. I smiled in return before giving them my full attention and saying, "Well, I have some news for you guys."

"Gossip?" asked Lavender in a hushed tone, her voice raised slightly.

"Omigod, are you pregnant, Hermione?" whispered Parvarti loudly causing some looks from a few Gryffindors and even some nearby Ravenclaws.

"Parvarti!" scolded Lavender before turning back towards me, "Well, are you?"

I tried not to glare as I tightly replied, "Of course not!" another reason I was not entirely happy about moving back to the Gryffindor Girls Dorms was that Parvarti and Lavender easily started rumors about their roommates and friends, most of the time by accident but still it wasn't the easiest way to live. Keeping everything bottled up inside.

"No, I'm moving back into the Gryffindor dorms."

"You don't want Draco to know about the baby, then?"

"There is no baby, Lavender…"

"Ohh, right." She winked at me and I rolled my eyes.

"Lavender." I warned already getting annoyed.

"Don't worry, 'Mione, your secret's safe with me." I shook my head too tired to argue with her further.

"Lavender! I just had the best idea!" Parvarti exclaimed loudly and with excitement bubbling right out of her.

"What?" asked Lavender, here eyes wide in anticipation. I started to eat my food thinking the worst part was now officially over.

"Let's have a party. A Welcome Back to Gryffindor, No Slytherins Allowed Party, Party!"

"Not even Parkinson and Zabini." Parvarti added.

"Exactly." Lavender said smiling. I laid my head on the table, tired already.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

As I lay in the girl's dormitory I hoped that Lavender and Parvarti would forget that the party was in my honor and leave me alone like they used to. I closed my eyes tightly, wishing for sleep to come, but instead Parvarti burst into the quiet room letting in some music from outside.

She looked slightly disheveled and more than slightly drunk, by her side was Dean who had a big smile on his face, "Hermione?" Parvarti gasped surprised slipping slightly, "Can I speak to you for a moment?" She gave a wink in Dean's direction as he made himself comfortable on her bed, "Can you give me maybe…I dunno….three hours here, I have some, well, I don't need to explain myself." Parvarti stared at me waiting for an answer. I didn't want to leave because that would mean going down to the party, will all of the Gryffindors I had been avoiding all year.

Although, on the other hand, Parvarti probably wouldn't be stopped by my presence alone from continuing with her _activities_, "Yeah, so I'll be back in _four_ hours." Parvarti beamed at me before pushing me quickly out of the door and down into the party.

I instantly spotted my ex-best friends sitting in the corner. Ron was flirting (very obviously) with Lavender and Harry was shooting glares at the girl's dorm. Ginny was no where to be seen.

I sat a good distance away from them but they both spotted me as quickly as I had spotted them. I tried to avoid their stares but I was getting irritated not to mention self-conscious. So finally I rose out of my seat, making eye contact with Harry for the first time as I did so, and moved to sit next to him.

I waited for him to say something, but he didn't, I now stared at him, watching him squirm under my intense gaze. Although, my gaze quickly turned into a glare as I recalled the whole year. The train ride, the potions incident, and then him daring to ask me to forget it all. His abandoning our friendship, lying about why we weren't friends, treating me like some sort of criminal.

As all these thoughts flew through my mind, I raised my hand. And knowing exactly what I was doing, slapped Harry Potter, the savior of the wizarding world, across the face. Hard.

The room went quiet, as Harry held his hand to his cheek, I rose out of my chair and no one stopped me. Then I walked out of the door leaving the party and the surprised Gryffindors behind. As I exited the common room and emerged into the hall I broke into a run. I ran through the castle and out into the grounds towards the lake.

When I finally stopped, I was out of breath, my heart beating fast. When I had slapped Harry I had expected to feel different, like I hadn't just slapped my best friend. But a part of me still thought of him as my best friend, six years of friendship is hard to ignore, for me at least.

I rocked back and forth as I sat by the lake, watching the water glisten in the moon light, my arms hugging my body for warmth. I couldn't go back to the common room now even though I was shivering from the cold, I just couldn't go back. My last choice was the Head's Dorms and Draco would notice if I went back there.

"Hermione?" a voice interrupted the silence. It was Harry, I stopped rocking and stayed still, I couldn't believe he came looking for me, "Hermione!" he called out again. I wasn't sure if I wanted to talk to him, to explain my actions. But then I saw him and he spotted me and I had no choice to but to face him.

I looked up at him, waiting for him to explain why he had followed me. He said nothing yet again so I finally asked, "Why are you here?" It was in a quiet and gentle tone, a tone I used to use to get Harry to open up when we used to be friends. A tone that I had never thought I would use on him ever again.

He cleared his throat, "I came here to say…" he paused here slightly, "I'm sorry..." He stopped and looked down at his shoes, "…for everything."

I wasn't sure how to react to this. He seemed genuine, like he _was_ really sorry, as if not having me as a friend really did bother him. But still, he had done so many things that I just couldn't let go of.

"That doesn't change anything." I said quietly but not in a harsh way. Instead, I said it so he knew I wasn't going to forgive him, not now anyway.

"I know." He paused again and then looked at me, his eyes drilling into my own, "But you have changed Hermione and not just appearance wise. It's like I don't even know who you are anymore."

"It seems I never knew who you were." I replied my voice tight now and harder than before.

"I guess I deserved that." Harry said with a small smile, "But Hermione, I'm worried about you."

"I'm touched." I replied shortly. Harry ignored the comment and continued.

"If there is anything I can do to help you…just name it. I'm there for you, okay? Any time, any place." He paused, "I'll do whatever it takes to get you to trust me again."

I paused, thinking about what he just said. Thinking about the situation I was in. "Well." I began slowly, "There is something."

Harry grinned widely, his green eyes sparkling with mischief, "I'm at your service, 'Mione."

I hesitated before asking him for one thing. And one thing only, "Do you still have that potion?"

**I hope you liked that chapter. The potion I'm referring to will get Hermione out of having to marry Draco. Dun, dun, dun, dun…keep reading and reviewing, sorry I took so long to update. I lube you all. Again, I am sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo sorrrryyyy!**


	21. Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Overcome

It was Christmas time at the Manor, meaning twinkly lights, big green tree, the reefs on the doors, not to mention that all too noticeable holiday cheer. It had always pushed my patience to its limits, the way everyone acted even faker than they usually did. So it came to no surprise to my parents that I stood brooding in my room, not letting anyone in but Blaise and Pansy when it came time for out annual Christmas party. But my two best friends weren't very good company. Blaise just sat there seeming to be glaring at something only he could see while Pansy sat glaring at me for a reason I knew all to well.

I sat there staring at Pansy waiting for her to open her mouth, seeing as her temperament had never been her strong point. We had been sitting there for five minutes when she finally spoke, "So Draco how is your little whore, Alsworth was it, you know she is officially ruined now don't you?" Her voice never wavered showing the extent of her anger and I gave her a languid look which made her purse her lips.

"I see you've decided to choose her over me. Have you decided that everything you know about me doesn't matter for the voice of Hermione D'jore must be true…Is she is your new best friend, severed those dirty Slytherin ties I see. I _am_ disappointed." My words seemed to have captured Blaise's attention for he was staring at the two of us with a serious expression that was a real change from the glaring that had seemed to grace his Italian features twenty-four/seven.

"Don't lie to me, Draco. I know from experience that you haven't deemed cheating on your girlfriends beneath you." She gave me an ugly sneer that I hadn't seen on her face since our little spats with the Gryffindors.

"I'm not lying, Pansy. Frankly, I didn't realize how little our friendship meant to you that you would follow the words of a girl you've barely known for a few months. A girl that used to call you Pugface with the rest of them."

"So, Draco, _dearest_ you are telling me that all you and Alsworth ever did was have long meaningful conversations and enjoy the company of one another. This doesn't sound like the boy I've known and most importantly dated, no, not at all."

Blaise interrupted, "What I can't believe is that you thought Hermione would never find out. I mean you are a Slytherin but she's the smartest witch of our age. How long did you expect it to go on without getting caught?"

I put my head in my hands and didn't respond. They wouldn't understand and I didn't have the liberty to explain.

"Not to mention the fact that you have _never_ mentioned her before. Why throw it all away from someone who is just a good fuc-"

"Pansy-I-never–slept-with-her. Why can't you just take my word for it?" I whispered menacingly. She gave me a hard look and I returned the gaze hoping that it was enough for her to be convinced but before I could know for sure there was a screech that seemed to come out of nowhere.

I tore my eyes away from hers to see a snowy owl outside my window. I went over and opened it and the owl flew in and then I realized, "This is Potter's owl." Disbelief was evident in my voice as I traded looks with Blaise and Pansy.

"Open it already." Pansy said with a huff.

I gave the owl a dirty look for its association with Potter and hurriedly took out the letter it was attached to and without even a moments pause the owl flew away. I stared at the letter and as I opened it something fell out.

It rolled across the hard wood floor landing at Pansy's feet and I immediately recognized it. It was the engagement ring I had given to Hermione when I proposed; Pansy picked it up and gingerly put it in my hand. Her face took on an expression of pity and I looked away focusing my attention on the letter the first words I read were these:

_I no longer want to marry you._

I tore my eyes away from the letter and looked up at Pansy. Her face dropped at my expression it seemed that my face was not that unreadable mask that I had hoped it would be. I looked away once more and read on:

_And I don't have to._

I shook my head because there was no way she could get out of it without the help of Dumbledore and there was no way she had gone groveling back to the Order. She had too much pride for that.

I read on to find out that she had less pride than I had expected. She hadn't gone groveling back to Dumbledore, it was worse, she had gone groveling back to Potter. I felt like I was going to be sick. After everything he had done to her it had never even crossed my mind that she would take comfort with the people that she had made it clear could never be forgiven.

I looked up to see Blaise and Pansy giving each other worried looks, "Well, Pansy it seems your best friend isn't the person you think she is." I threw the letter at her and locked myself in my bathroom. I couldn't believe she did that, I couldn't believe it and I couldn't deal with it.

I glared at my reflection. I couldn't believe she had fooled me into liking her. I felt utterly and completely stupid. I had developed feelings for her without even realizing it…. and now I was angry because she didn't want to marry me. How could she not want to marry _me_? I was Draco Malfoy, heir to the Malfoy fortune. In the dirtiest dreams of almost every girl at Hogwarts. Who did she think she was? Even if I had cheated on her, which I didn't, she should still be there at my beck and call. I looked again into the mirror and couldn't help but ask myself:

_Was I in love with Hermione D'jore?_

* * *

I boarded the train back to Hogwarts a week from receiving that eye-opening letter and it was just like every other time. By this time I had convinced myself that Hermione finding a way out of the engagement was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. Everything was back to normal, my friends back by my side and on my side, and my ego still intact. The Slytherin's hatred towards Gryffindor renewed. Everything was how it should be. 

We entered our usual compartment and sat down, Pansy being less sarcastic than normal due to the fact that she was still making up for the things she had said and for the privilege of knowing a secret. Blaise still as quiet as ever. I had finally told them about Tristina Alsworth. It had been the only way to end any doubt, for no matter how much they had wanted to believe me, there had still been doubt.

I slept a dreamless sleep the whole train ride to Hogwarts, waking only to the sound of Pansy's slightly irritated voice telling me that we had arrived and that of course is when it hit me that it wasn't like all the other times coming back to Hogwarts because this time I was returning to a vengeful ex-fiancé and all the people that came with her.

I walked with Blaise and Pansy into a carriage wishing the ride would last forever and when the carriage finally arrived at Hogwarts, they both faced me. I said nothing to their questioning stares until finally Pansy smirked and in a mocking tone asked, "You still the Slytherin Sex God?"

Blaise hid a grin and I couldn't help but crack a smile, "Was there ever any doubt?" They both snickered and I gave them a smirk. I was definitely still the Slytherin Sex God and no Gryffindor was ever going to change that.

We all exited the carriage in our usual Slytherin fashion, our auras of superiority over all other houses in place. I gave a quick once over and saw no sign of Hermione before separating from Blaise and Pansy heading to the Heads Dorm. I said the password and went straight to my room, locking the door behind me, and then I heard a knock.

She wouldn't _dare._

I opened my door to see Harry Potter. I clenched my fist and sneered, "What do _you_ want Potter?" He glared at me and I glared back. Just like old times.

"I wanted to make sure that you stayed away from Hermione. I wanted to inform you that she wants nothing to do with you. I also wanted to threaten you with the consequences of any attempt to get near her. We clear?"

I rolled my eyes, "I suppose you are the one giving out these so called 'consequences'."

"Don't push it, Malfoy."

"Don't threaten me, Potter."

"Just stay away from her."

"Wouldn't touch that piece of trash with a ten-foot pole."

His eyes flashed, "Rich coming from the person who cheated."

"I didn't cheat Potter, you on the other hand... I bet Weaslette has yet to be enlightened about Patil and I would be more than happy to do the honor."

"You wouldn't."

"What's stopping me?"

He stepped closer, "Hermione." I raised an eyebrow in question, "To get to Ginny you would have to be near Hermione. I think that ten-foot pole you mentioned might get in the way."

I sneered, but before I could respond Potter decided that the conversation was over and left. I didn't stop him. I watched him walk out, knowing he was returning to his little Golden Trio, and his many fooled admirers. My loathing for him couldn't be more pronounced than at that very moment.

I turned around and grabbed a picture frame, throwing it at the wall in anger. I sat down on my bed seeing the broken shards on the floor, how far i had fallen, and put my head on my signature silk pillows before letting sleep overcome me… among other things.

* * *

I woke up and quickly got ready for class, making sure I looked exactly how a Malfoy should which took longer than most people would think. I hurried down to the Slytherin dorms and was greeted by Pansy and Blaise who seemed to be waiting for me to go down to breakfast. 

We walked down the corridor and I opened the door, my eyes zooming over to the Gryffindor table where I immediately spotted her and our eyes connected. There was no glaring, no mouthed words, it was expressionless really, it went so fast I wasn't sure it had even really happened. Then it was over. With Pansy and Blaise in my wake we took a seat at the Slytherin table where they all waited anxiously for the first-hand account of the news that they had received at the Christmas ball: that the engagement was off.

I gave it to them with my own added spice and once again I was their Slytherin Prince. I went to my classes and when I got to Potions I remembered who my lab partner was and I couldn't help but smirk. It was payback time.

I saw her enter, her two lackeys by her side, she took a seat saying nothing. I positioned myself so that I could take in her whole appearance: she looked like absolute crap. Her hair was tied up in a pony tail, her eyes sullen, and her posture terrible. It was all because of me and I reveled in it.

Pansy came over to out table, her eyes narrowed as she saw Hermione sitting next to me, no sympathy due to her appearance. She was still Pansy after all.

"Draco, are you coming to the common room after class." I nodded and Hermione finally turned her face to look at us.

"Hi Pansy." Pansy ignored her not even glancing at the sound of her voice.

"Make sure to bring some snacks from the kitchen because you know how Blaise is after classes. Ta." She walked away to join her partner, not even checking to see Hermione's reaction to the obvious snub.

I spoke, "You really thought she would take your side, didn't you? After what you did, you really shouldn't be surprised."

"What _I_ did?" She asked incredously her eyes flashing, "What about what you did? You cheated on me, Malfoy, and with a common whore. You threw what was to become of our marriage away for some loose girl who would give you something that I wouldn't. The only thing I did was have morals."

"Going back to surnames now are we." I answered heatedly, "Pansy stayed by my side because she knew I was being honest. You on the other hand would rather believe me a liar because that just happens to fit your Slytherin stereotype and give you a reason to go crawl back to your pathetic friends who treated you like shit and use you."

"My friends aren't pathetic."

"Your right. You're pathetic," I whispered menacingly so no one but us could hear, "Everything about you is _just_ pathetic. You say you have morals yet you let Potter cheat on Weaslette and don't tell her, you let them use you and then leave you when you finally need them, you end our engagement knowing that I didn't cheated on you, and- "

"You cheated on me, that's all I know for sure, that and the fact that you don't seem one bit bothered by it!" she screamed tears running down her face and catching the attention of all the students that had arrived, "How long did it take you to get over our relationship, to find someone else to keep your bed warm at night? Please, Malfoy, you knew from the beginning this marriage was never going to work. We fooled ourselves into thinking it was going to be okay. But it was all an act and you know it!"

"D'JORE!" Snape had entered and he did not look happy, "As interesting as your love life is I would like to get my class started that is unless you have anything more to add…"

"No, professor." She whispered her teeth clenched, tears still streaming down her face.

I got out of my seat, angrier than I had anticipated, "Professor if it's okay with you I think I need to take my leave." I was supposed to have controlled the conversation but she had turned it on me. Like always I had under-estimated her.

He waved a hand at me and I took a moment's pause before walking out. I leaned in closer to Hermione and whispered, "I did not cheat."

Then I walked out leaving a surprised class in my wake. I took a turn around the corridor waiting for a place to just sit and stare but it seemed that I wasn't going to receive my much needed melt down as I felt a hand touch my shoulder, "Who do you think you are?"

Hermione had run after me, obviously deciding our conversation wasn't over yet, "No longer obligated to talk to you." I said heatedly turning around to escape her grip but again she got in front of me blocking my way of escape.

"What gives you the right to judge me?! To call me pathetic?! To even speak to me at all?!" She was still crying, taking big gulps of air; she looked so weak like she could barely stand.

I stood there, saying nothing just staring at her shaking form, "This gives me the right." I threw the ring that I had been keeping in my pocket at the floor no longer able to control the emotions I was feeling that had nothing to do with anger and vengeance, "That you know it wasn't fake, that our engagement was real. That you're in denial. That gives me the bloody right." I turned away from her one last time; I felt her hand clench my arm, too weak to hold me back any longer.

I walked away and heard her last words, "I hate you Draco Malfoy, I hate you because you broke me."

**Finalllly had time to update and with some considerable uplifting words from the girl who gives uplifting words on my stories. Thank you to the people who still read my story. luv you all. even if you want to say crap about this story, sorry its short. You will find out about Tristina, the whole story, i promise. **


	22. Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Revelations

I glanced at the seemingly happy couple that was Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley and almost had the urge to smile. If it had been any other situation, any other couple, I probably would have been content with the fact that at least someone in this school was happy. However, the couple themselves stopped me from upturning my lips even slightly for I knew things that made this seemingly happy couple seem anything but that.

The fact that Ginny Weasley was only with Harry Potter for fear she would go on life unloved. That and the fact that the last time we were on speaking terms she had the audacity to call me a death eater stopped my smile from coming. Not to mention the promiscuity of the world-renown Harry Potter seeing as he had slept with the utterly horrid not to mention whorish, Tristina Alsworth, the girl who had quickly and effectively broken up my engagement, and Parvarti Patil, a misguided girl looking for love in all the wrong places which just happened to include Harry Potter's trousers. But fortunately for them they were content with being seemingly happy while I had to face the underlying problems in the prison that was my mind, and when it became too much, like now as I watched them snuggling disgustingly against each other I only had one sanctuary, one last hope, to flee to.

The library. Which is what I did at that very moment, leaving the two liars, cheaters, slanderers to be content for however long they needed before they realized what they had done and what they could no longer take back. I grabbed my book bag and quickly exited the room my shoes clunking against the ancient stone as I walked as fast as I could against the dark flooring beneath me.

By the time I reached the library I was close to tears , not because the guilt of knowing of my 'best friend's' relationship would mostly likely end in pain and misery had become too much but because the only reason their happiness at the moment bothered me so much was because my own relationship had ended in the worst way possible. I never had been the jealous type before but watching Harry and Ginny had made me ask myself, _why couldn't that be me? _I knew exactly why of course, because the scum of the wizarding world, Draco Malfoy, had cheated on me with one of his many(I can only assume) Slytherin playmates confirming my suspicions that Slytherins are no good excuses for wizards but although my mind registered this fact I couldn't help but think back to only a few weeks ago when I had the utmost confidence that Draco Malfoy perhaps, maybe in an almost ironic, insane type of way, was the guy for me-my soul mate even. It is obvious now that I had been delusional.

I wiped my eyes and opened the library doors to see people laughing and studying together under the watchful eyes of the librarian and trudged despairingly towards the back of the library. Flinging my book bag filled with already finished homework against the mahogany wood table. And that was when I heard them, the voices.

The Slytherin voices, quiet and out of breath. A crash of books onto the floor and more fervent whispers. It made my very skin burn as I realized whose voices they were. My eyes widened in surprise at their not so public display of affection and before I knew what I was doing I had risen out of my chair and crossed the threshold of the bookcase into the other row to see the girl I despised the most, her blonde hair loose and flowing and her grey eyes filled with only one word: lust against the Slytherin that I had previously trusted, deemed undeserving of petty stereotypes, but most of all considered a friend.

Blaise Zabini, his eyes wide in surprise stared at me, speechless, and all I could feel was pure uninhibited fury.

Before I knew it, my voice risen and I was yelling at the top of my lungs calling them names that I had only ever heard before and had never thought would come out of my own mouth. Words that came from the hatred that had suddenly sprung out of me, that had been pending inside of me ever since I had first heard the name of Tristina Alsworth. My hand rose, shaking although it was, and I slapped Tristina Alsworth across the face leaving a burning hand-shaped red mark on her porcelain cheek, "You …!" There was no words for what I thought of this girl but the one word I did say was said as menacingly as possible and I realized not only was I out of control but I was crying, "What did I ever do to you, that you broke up my ENGAGEMENT just to dump my fiancée to get with this _filthy_ excuse for a wizard. "

"Hermione." Blaise whispered quietly in a pleading tone but I just glared at him. Something I had never considered myself very good at, but he fell silent nonetheless.

"Or." I went on savagely, "Did my ex-fiancée just grow tired of you-were you too much of a whore even for him? Did you realize this and just jump into _his _arms-or should I say _bed_?" I said this with a disgusted look towards Blaise.

Tristina just stared at me, her grey eyes cold, and devoid of the guilt that is expected in a situation such as this. She just clenched her hands at her sides as I finally took a breath and waited for some sort of excuse or rebuttal and as I had expected it came, "You don't know what your talking about!" Tristina whispered her hand now touching her cheek, "You think you know everything but you have no clue what is going on and if it wasn't for Draco I would have gotten you kicked out of this school a long time ago. You may be considered the smartest witch of your age, people may have acknowledged you as a pureblood, but we all know what you really are. Just _filthy- mud blood- scum_! Always butting into business that doesn't concern you." She took a step towards me and slapped _me_ across the face. That was something I had never expected to happen and I know my face showed my surprise.

Instead of attacking her as I probably would have done in any other situation, instead of pushing her into the bookshelf or tearing out her beautiful blonde hair as I had envisioned doing so many times before. Instead of that, I sat myself calmly down into the chair at the table. I looked glaringly up at Tristina and I felt my cheek sting with pain as silent tears streamed down my face. I felt like my heart would burst as I sputtered out, "If I'm so stuup-id than why CAN'T you just," I stopped as an uncontrollable gasp emitted out of my body and my voice quieted, "explain it to me?" My engagement was over and I was left alone standing by myself as everyone moved on with their lives. Blaise and Tristina. Ginny and Harry. Draco and … whoever his flavor of the week was. I felt so worthless, crying helplessly in front of the people that were supposed to be my enemies but the initial anger that I felt had drifted away. I was tired of being angry, I was tired of feeling like I was going to break at any moment. I was just so tired…

Tristina stood above me, condescendingly staring me straight in the face and said, "Your not even worth explaining it to." I looked up at her in surprise, if anything I knew this girl was ruthless and her lack of compassion, of any emotion besides anger really, chilled me to my core. So much that my tears dissipated quickly and I was left staring at this girl who had ruined me.

"Oh, Tristina, you are becoming more like Draco day by day, aren't you." A amused sounding voice said emitting from the next row over. My tears stopped completely as I saw Pansy come out from the next row. My last encounter with her ran through my mind and it made me shut my eyes for a second as I wondered if this day could possibly get any worse, "It's quite pathetic really-I mean calling her a mudblood- did you drop a few IQ points after making out with Blaise? I couldn't help overhearing that part really-with all the names flying around. To me it was the only one that stuck out." Now I looked up at her in complete confusion, I had met the Pansy Parkinson that didn't cackle like a banshee but what was this new attitude change, hadn't she decided to side with Draco on this one? Hadn't she decided our friendship and all the responsibility that came with it had been effectively dropped?

Tristina glared at her defiantly, "Mind yourself Parkinson-this doesn't concern you." Pansy gave her a surprised look and a small laugh. I had gotten to know Pansy well enough to know something horrible would follow the look she held on her face.

"I know you think you're untouchable." Pansy paused here and looked at Tristina as if she found this statement particularly funny, " All because your Draco's sister but I don't give a damn what kind of bastard child you are," she know stood towering over Tristina while their faces almost touched, "-I won't tolerate being spoken to that way, is that clear?" Pansy gave her an icy look as my eyes widened in amazement.

I could barely process the words that had just been spoken. It had said in such a flippant tone, as if this information was completely irrelevant. I almost was unsure of whether the words had really been said. _A bastard child, its impossible! Draco and Tristina. Siblings. _My mind whirled with the possibility and I quickly realized that in a twisted sort of way it all made sense, why he kept her so secretive, why he never talked about her with anyone, why he had said he loved her. Everything in my mind came into the same logical place that a problem I had just solved would, but I just couldn't accept it. It just couldn't be that _easy. _Our engagement couldn't have possibly ended because of DRACO'S LITTLE SISTER! My mind then turned to Draco's mother. Narcissia Malfoy. Upon our first meeting, she had seemed to be like a shy trophy wife whose only purpose in life was to please her husband. But then I had seen her in the light of an intimidating soon to be mother-in-law. Now finally as I sat, my eyes wide, in front of these Slytherin I saw her as an unhappy, intimidating, trophy wife who refused to stay at home waiting obediently for her husbands return but decided to take her life into her own hands and made probably the biggest mistake in the history of the Malfoy family. A child. I can only imagine how hard it would have been to keep this a secret.

"Pansy!" Blaise yelled angrily, "Do you not realize where we are? Not to mention who we're with?" His eyes held a cold anger, "You swore."

Pansy sniffed haughtily, "Its not like I took the vow." she said her air of arrogance stronger than ever, "I mean Hermione has the right to know-this had gone on too long. What was she suppose to think and how long did you expect this to go on before she found out who this brat was?"

Blaise continued to glare, "If anyone should have told her it should have been Draco-do you realize the problems that this will cause?"

I got up off the floor, my eyes stinging, and glared at all of them, my old anger renewed, "I can't believe you can say that after everything that I've had to deal with you…you SLYTHERINS!" I huffed loudly, "And now I find out our engagement ended because he didn't want me to meet his sister or something? I know pure-blood are proud but just… NO! I can't take this anymore-this is ridiculous. I'm not even sure I can believe this is true."

"Its not a lie." Tristina whispered, "He's my brother-he's mother had an affair with my father-if Draco's father ever found out….I would be dead." she glared at me as if to see if I would challenge her again. I didn't of course, there isn't many serious rebuttals you can make to that statement, without being completely heartless that is.

"Its impossible." I whispered, " why didn't he just tell me?" My eyes shown no trace of tears now and my eyes were glaring at the Slytherins that surrounded me, "Why didn't _you_ just tell me? Do you know how miserable I've been watching you all alone from the Gryffindor table, feeling so out of place and rejected? Do you have any idea-"

"Oh get over yourself-your so pathetic you can't just accept that Draco just didn't trust you enough? it's a common problem in teen relationships. Your smart, look up the statistics." Tristina walked past me but paused before she went out of sight, "If you tell anyone about this, you will never be able to forgive yourself-not to mention the amount of pain you will be in after my mother is done performing Unforgivables on you."

She was gone then with a swish of her blonde hair and I was left contemplating with Blaise and Pansy, "Why?" was the only word that seemed capable to make sense in my brain. I stared from Slytherin to Slytherin, Why did he do this to me? I got up quickly then and started to walk towards the front of the library but Pansy grabbed my arm tightly before I could move so much as a foot, "Where do you think you're going- we are NOT done with you yet." I could feel the circulation in my arm waning as her grip tightened and before I knew what I had done I had my wand pointed at her face.

"I think we're about done, thanks. I've gotten everything I needed from you." Pansy let go of my arm shocked at the threatening tone of my voice.

"I see the information was greatly appreciated."

"If its even true. Once a lying Slytherin…well you know the saying."

"I thought we were past stereotypes…what was all that then about feeling so alone in Gryffindor? Slip of the tongue, 'Mione?" She had used my nick name tauntingly and I couldn't help but remember why I had used to hate her so much.

"I never would want to be friends with a girl like you Parkinson." I bit back lamely before glaring at Blaise and walking out of the library, watching for any wand movement out of the corner of my eye-you could never be too careful when dealing with these sort.

I felt my feet leading the almost forgotten path to the Slytherin commons and felt my heart beating erratically in anticipation for the scene I expected to make when I found Draco Malfoy. So he hadn't cheated on me, or so they said , but he had done something even worse than that-he had lied to me. He had betrayed me like I had always expected him to, he had done the exact thing that I had wanted so hard to believe he wouldn't.

I murmured the password as the Portrait opened and my entrance into the Slytherin commons was meet by silence as a few first years stood confused next to the fire. I marched straight up to the boys dormitory to find Theodore Nott and Draco Malfoy both in a heated debate. So heated they hadn't even noticed I had come in, which just helped further to infuriate me.

"Your so pathetic Malfoy, I'm offering you the chance of a lifetime here- my sister." Nott was staring Draco down which is a futile attempt in itself. For even though Nott may have had a couple inches on Draco, his face only read annoyance, if anything I would have been fearful for Nott's safety and how far he took his words.

"I don't want your atrocious looking sister-even for recreational purposes."

"Your only saying that because your still waiting for that mudblood to take you back. The whole school knows what you've done and there is no way in hell she's even going to glance in your direction again." Nott crowed his eyes steely and his lips sneering at the blonde in front of him,

"Not that it matters but she isn't a mudblood-and actually yes I am over her. Way over." Draco said his eyes just as hard as Notts, "But there is no way in hell that I'm going to go out with your sister just to prove it."

I stood there in shock at his words, he was over me? He was over _me_. Way over, supposedly. I noticed the talking had stopped and the two boys were know staring at me, both with unreadable expressions on their faces. I smirked as I had seen Draco doing so many times before and said, "Don't worry I haven't come to take you back…seeing as your _so over me_, that shouldn't be much a problem. I just had a question to ask you before I leave you to your 'recreational activities'… when exactly , because I can't seem to recall, were you _under _me?" For being considered the smartest witch of my age the snarky comment fell flat but I was going to spend the rest of my days worrying about that of all things. I gave him one last haughty glance, realizing I was entirely not tired of being angry, if anything after seeing Draco and hearing him talk about me had only increased my anger three-fold.

I walked out of the Boys dorms with Nott's snicker in my wake, "And your suppose to be the Slytherin all the girls are after? Couldn't even get any from your fiancée." I heard a smack but it seemed obsolete in comparison to the words that kept repeating in my mind. I heard his footsteps coming down the stairs and before I realized I was doing it I had ran out of the common room and into the hall, as fast as my non-Quidditch playing legs could carry me. My mind on only one thing: getting the bloody hell out of the there.

Once I reached the hallway I realized it was futile to continue running, there was no doubt that Draco would be able to catch up with me relatively easily. When that showdown occurred I didn't want to be the one so out of breath I couldn't think straight. He came ramming out of the common room, his eyes clouded with anger and he ran past me and I actually thought I had avoided him but he had barely gone two paces when he turned around to face me. It seemed I wasn't the only one with pending anger as we both stared angrily at one another, no words seemed to be spoken yet, as we showed out initial hate with one another with our eyes alone. I wasn't sure whether I should be the first to speak, cut the ground out from under him, about everything I had found out that afternoon but he beat me to it.

"What the hell was that?'" he asked brushing his hair out of his eyes irritated and I realized not only was he angry but he was nervous. I couldn't help it when my lips upturn into a smile. I saw my smile had unnerved him even more, he knew it couldn't possibly mean anything good.

That's when I spoke taking my time with every word. Hoping he was suffering as every word exited out of my lips, hoping that somehow hearing my words would cut him like his knife in my back had cut me. But I knew my hopes were as futile as running would have been, Draco Malfoy might be human but he was still wasn't going to be intimidated by a girl who he thought gave into the charm of Harry Potter. I knew that one thought had probably been one of the leading factors that had kept him away from me.

"Well, …Malfoy-"

"Resorting to formalities again are we."

"Your name on my lips is like poison."

"I'm glad you think I'm that searing.

"Enough with the banter-I'm sure you'll be more interested in what I have to tell you."

"Your wasting my time here, Granger." There he had slipped up, I was slightly surprised. But seeing as we had reverted back to our old ways it seemed only appropriate that the same names be used as well. I can remember less than fondly all of our run ins and a smile was no longer forming on my lips.

He noticed this and smirked, I felt my composure slipping. But then I remembered why I had come here in the first place, "As I was saying before you interrupted me, I found out something really interesting in the library this morning." I took a step closer to him but he just raised an eyebrow in return. His lack of interest made me all the more intent to hurt him ,"I was surprised really, when I heard some noises, you of course would know what kind of noises I'm referring to, about a row over."

"Getting horny off others, Granger." I realized he was using Granger to infuriate me and to be honest it was grating on my nerves. I loved my muggle family but all the horrible incidents that had resulted from that name still made me cringe.

"Don't be so crude." I reprimanded my eyes gleaming before barreling on, "So seeing as I needed some peace and quiet, I went over to tell them to get a room-"

"Or ask if you could join them."

I glared intently at him before smiling again as I knew the final part was coming, "And who was I to find but Blaise, my cousin, and…" I paused here to make sure the full effect was ensured, "Tristina, your sister, in a _very_ compromising position against the bookshelves. If anything I felt the honorable thing to do was go straight to you-to spare you the horror of finding out from someone else less trustworthy."

His eyes shone no emotion as he surveyed me leaning against the wall. No surprise shone on his face, there wasn't even an eye twitch or a flutter of one eyelash. My face probably wasn't a mask of emotion as I couldn't help but childishly say, "And what have you go to say to that?"

"You came all the way over here to tell me that? Not to beg for my forgiveness after realizing I hadn't be lying all along? You wanted me to beg you not to tell-hands and knees- the whole deal? Well, guess what Granger, piss off!

"Your reprimanding me?" I shoot back astonished my body shaking with anger as I stared at the boy whose eyes were as cold as ice, " Why would I beg for your forgiveness- you have been lying to me this hold time. So you weren't cheating but do you know what I had to deal with just so you could keep your sister a secret."

"You don't know the half of it. Don't you ever think about anyone besides yourself?"

This wasn't the first time he had called my selfish and I felt myself grinding my teeth together, "Yeah I tried that and you know where it got me betrayed and left alone to fend for myself on a train with no one to console me."

"Just because Weasley and Potter deserted you-"

"This has nothing to do with Harry and Ron. If you had just trusted me in the beginning, none of this could have happened- we would still be together and maybe we might have even been happy."

"Stop kidding yourself, our marriage was a joke-you said it yourself. We wouldn't have lasted five minutes after the ceremony. I knew I couldn't trust you and I was right to think so after you went groveling after Potter. He left you high and dry and you still went back like their good little mudblood slave."

"I'm not a mudblood you insolent prat." I was watching him closely for any break in his icy stare and I couldn't help but wonder if he was really just that detached, "And I'd watch your tone because I know what would happened to your sister if I so much as breathed a word of this-"

"Don't even try that. You'd be ripped to shreds-

"Enough with the tough guy act. " I muttered angrily. He said nothing then and neither did I, the uncomfortable silence filled the hall and that was precisely when we heard footsteps. I saw Draco stiffen beside me. But the student rounded the corner and it was only Blaise. I looked at Draco and saw anger in them now- it seemed my words had not gone unheard.

But Blaise didn't balk away or even try to pretend like Draco didn't know. He stopped beside us and waited for someone to speak. The silence trudged on.

Then Blaise spoke, "She told you then..." Draco said nothing but he put his hands in his pockets and I would bet big money that he was clenching them.

"I told him." I verified but my voice came out hoarse and Blaise didn't even glance in my direction. I had the definitive feeling that somehow I had come to be blamed for everything that had happened in this Me-Draco-Tristina love mistake. I pulled tighter on my pony tail, feeling more awkward than I had anticipated as Draco had still stayed silent.

Finally Draco spoke his words harsh, "What were you thinking? Did you seriously think I wouldn't find out? But then again from what I've heard you weren't exactly trying to hide it were you. If Granger found out then I can just imagine the yelling she must have done. By Monday the whole school will know."

Blaise paused, "Well your not going to be the only one to suffer Draco."

"Well I didn't cause it this time-I know what happened but this is just getting a bit old. Get over her and get laid but find someone else to do you. My sister is off limits."

"You dated my cousin." Blaise challenged.

"Not exactly willingly, you wouldn't have done me any great pain if you had tried to stop it."

I knew I was blushing at his point but I didn't bother making a comeback. But I didn't really know what I had expected coming here really. And apology? If anything I should have kept this quiet but my anger had blinded me just like Draco's charm had. I knew I should have left at this point but I felt glued to the spot. After all the yelling I had done it seemed that all my energy had been zapped out of me. But I didn't dare show any signs of weakness, not in front of them. I felt in my bones- the way I had felt about Draco Malfoy for the past six years, had never gone away it had always been there waiting for me to realize how stupid I had been thinking I could fall into love with this bastard, that was the only word I could think to describe him, a cold-hearted bastard who was never going to change.

"Don't play this up to more than it has to be. You know my reasons."

"Those reasons aren't exactly appealing to my forgiving nature. I don't like people using _her_, especially if its my best friend."

Blaise nodded. "It was a one time thing- won't happen again. I think she knew anyway, she's just as perceptive as you are really." Now he turned his attention to me, "I would threaten you not to tell but the whole school will know soon so I'll let it slide."

"You can't threaten me." The whole school would know that Blaise and Tristina were fooling around but they had no way of knowing that she was Draco's sister. I still had leverage whether or not I was willing to use it.

Blaise quirked an eyebrow, "Sure." he paused, "Why are you still here?"

This was getting to be just plain humiliating. I glared at him preparing to walk away with my head held high and at least some dignified grace but Draco took hold of my arm. I looked up surprised to see him smirking down at me, "Your running out of reasons."

I glared, "What are you talking about?"

He gave me an amused look, "Reasons why I'm to blame for breaking off our engagement. You're a smart witch, you may be in denial, but it won't be long before you realize its all your fault and you've missed out of the best thing that could have ever happened to you."

"The best thing that could have ever happened to me was meeting Tristina Alsworth." I spat back. I knew it was a lie before the last word had even left my lips. I knew I had looked at the girl as the ruiner of my life, the bane of my existence, the actual person I loathed the most throughout all the land-every single dramatic thought had crossed my mind. My opinion hadn't changed as I had found out she was Draco's sister if anything it had increased.

"Lying is unbecoming. Like I said your running out of excuses. You were justified in the beginning, I mean it did look like I had screwed you over, but you lost the justification when you refused to listen to me. I almost told you the truth numerous times but as fate would have it-it just wasn't meant to be."

"Just like us." I echoed.

"You didn't seem to think that before though did you. Even now I can see it in your eyes- you love me. Don't deny it. I've seen it in tons of vindictive girlfriends before you. Not to mention the words that can't help but repeat in my mind as a friendly remainder as how much the end of the engagement hurt you. I mean 'You broke me.' You really couldn't come up with anything a little bit more dignified?"

I couldn't speak. I felt like he was taking everything I had ever told him, every intimate detail I had ever shared with him and was throwing it in my face. I felt anger, but it wasn't the fiery kind that I usually felt because I realized he was right. I had no one to blame but myself. I had pushed him away on purpose, I had sensed myself falling in love with him and groped at any reason why I couldn't be with him.

"Your doing it even now." Draco continued mercilessly, "Blaming me for lying to you. For not trusting you. You just need another reason to talk to me. You thought I would cave in eventually-tell you I was so wrong and beg for your forgiveness. I won't do it." His eyes gleamed and I found myself thinking he was enjoying tearing me to pieces. Enjoying my slow fall from-well it wasn't grace- I had already been depressed enough before I had even walked into that library, he was just rubbing salt in the wound. He wanted my words to be true, I suppose, he really wanted to see me cry on the floor. He really wanted to break me.

I didn't cry, I might be depressed. I might feel as if he had finally gone too far and as if I couldn't face another day where there was sun and laughter and smiling. I might be so hurt that I felt my emotions had turned to ice at his words. I might feel all those things but I still wasn't going to cry. Nor was I going to rant at him, it was another thing he wanted out of me. If I started yelling he knew he had effected me, he would know for sure that his words were true. I couldn't think of a single right move to make as I stood there staring at his face. And that's when I realized I had been seeing it as a game, I had lost of course. It was fairly obvious now. I was the one to blame for everything.

"Draco." Blaise murmured quietly. The look that must have adorned my face I could only imagine to get Blaise to stand up me. We both knew whose side he was on. I felt pathetic as I stood there but I knew Draco wasn't going to leave without getting a reaction so I gave him one.

I walked away, it was that simple. I had never been one to just ignore my problems, pretend that I was someone else, somewhere else, content to be content. But I had no other choice, he had cornered me. But he wasn't going to let me off that easy, "Your walking away just like that? Aren't Gryffindors suppose to be brave-not cowards?" He laughed but I just continued walking. I thought of saying one last memorable thing to him. Some thing that would hurt him like he had hurt me just now.

The options flooded my mind: 

You really are your fathers son.

You might still consider me a mud blood but just know I still consider you scum.

Harry and Ron might have betrayed me but just like in everything else Draco, you did me one better.

And I'd thought you changed for good-just another thing I was wrong about…

Thanks for putting me out of misery. You almost had me convinced you weren't a cold-hearted bastard.

But it would just prove him right. Prove to him that I was still blaming him and I partially still was. I realized I had screwed up but my pride wasn't letting me accept it fully. Nor did my pride allow me to look back as Draco taunted me as I walked away. My eyes tearing up and my walk undignified. I had wanted to go looking as if it hadn't fazed me but he had won. I couldn't help but hear Pansy's words repeating in my head, "Don't underestimate him." if only I had listened. I had never really thought that Draco Malfoy could hurt me, not like this. If I had ever felt like I had hit rock bottom it was nothing compared to this feeling. Everything he had said had been so true, so right on, so utterly unfeeling that I had barely been able to get over one realization before I had to deal with another. He had kicked me when I was down and what had sparked this sudden need for aggression?

Tristina Alsworth. It always came back to-I stopped myself as I realized what I was doing. Placing the blame on someone else, anyone else, anyone but me. I realized I was at the end of the corridor and as I rounded it I broke into a all out run- I can only imagine what I would have looked at but I felt as if nothing mattered. I loved Draco Malfoy. I was in love with Draco Malfoy. He had hurt me so bad tossed me around like I was worthless. He had treated me like every other girl he had ever dated, breaking it off in the worst way possible and I still felt like crawling back for more. The realization that I had fallen for Draco Malfoy didn't hurt me as much as the fact that he hadn't fallen for me. It had been always there nagging at my mind, whenever I saw him, I had gotten that feeling. I had felt it coming subconsciously but had pushed it away.

I reached my dorm room and flung myself on my bed. If there was anything that could have hurt me more was that he had reduced me to one of his stupid bimbos who he had sex with and left. He had hurt me so bad that my body felt sore all over like I really would never get over this. My tears were heavy against my face. Maybe he hadn't had sex with me and told me to leave once he was done with me but I still felt violated. As these thoughts were crossing my mind as my mind and body were at their lowest, I felt more distraught than ever.

And that's when the worst happened. Lavender and Parvarti walked in and then all havoc broke loose. The immediately ran to my bedside like an apocalypse had occurred and although it might have felt like it, I felt it hard to understand their compassion for me and I couldn't tell them to leave me as they positioned themselves on my bedside in mock horror. I knew that in all my years of living with them they had never seen me this distraught. Who was I to push them away in my time of need, I had done enough pushing.

"Oh, Hermione, what did he do to you?" Lavender cooed gently stroking my hair. Of course they knew it was him. Of course they realized the almighty bookworm, the girl who had come face to face with pure evil, the girl who had been proclaimed the smartest witch of her age, was in a wreck of tears over a boy. Of course they knew and by morning the whole of Gryffindor would know. I felt my tears deepen. I didn't deserve this. I couldn't have possibly done anything to deserve this.

Parvarti somehow had gotten a hold of some tissues and was wiping my face and my nose and I realized helplessly that I must look so pathetic. The girls stood by my bedside consoling me the best they could but my tears wouldn't stop. The gasping and the shuddering and all the things that came with it wouldn't stop. A part of me didn't want it to because I knew what came next-the detachment, the numbness, the seclusion, the depression. I didn't want any of it.

"Maybe we should call Madam Pomfrey." I stared at her my eyes wide, was I really in need of hospitalization. I knew this was something that ice cream and a girls night out wouldn't cure but I would never willingly let myself be hospitalized over a boy.

Lavender shook her head, "We can't have that. What if those boys see her like this. She'll be the laughing stock of Slytherin." I had always considered Lavender a bit dim-witted and her statement stilled my tears for a few seconds, "I'm going to go get Ginny. She'll know what to do."

I wanted to yell at her, to stop her, to tell her it was the last thing I needed. To have Ginevra Weasly see my at my worst. But it was too late and Ginny was standing there, her eyes wide, as she saw my crumbled form and she seemed speechless but she quickly enveloped me in a hug so tight and so fierce that I knew that all of the words that had been exchanged between us meant nothing. If I needed her, she was there.

She talked to me silently, until only lone tears strayed down my face and even convinced Lavender and Parvarti to leave us alone. I finally sat upright into a silence so heavy I felt like it was literally choking me. Ginny stared at me and I knew she was waiting for an explanation of some sort but I couldn't give one. Not now.

She got me to change into my pajamas and wash my face but I still seemed to have lost my voice until Parvarti and Lavender walked in their faces serious, "This is war."

I looked up at them an in my shock was able to croak, "What?"

"Harry and Ron, they know, we had to tell them before they found out somewhere else. But they reacted badly-told everyone in Gryffindor that you were up here crying because of Draco Malfoy. The whole of Gryffindor has proclaimed war against Slytherin. " I found it slightly ironic that they wanted to become my valiant savors now when they had been so intent on calling me a death eater so short of a time ago.

And finally I spoke, my voice no longer breaking, "They can't. War. It's such a big word over such a small thing." I found my voice easier than I would have thought. This was all my fault. Slytherin and Gryffindor's rivalry was legendary but never had there been an actual declaration of outright war. For me, Draco making me cry was something I would never forget, but I couldn't have a House War escalade from it. Together united we stood a chance, broken we were nothing. A war was going on outside-we couldn't have one inside Hogwarts to mirror it as well, "They can't possibly-it would be insane-over me-just ridiculous." It seemed I had found my voice but lost my power for coherent sentences.

Gryffindors standing up for me.

Slytherins the hated enemy.

Harry and Ron plotting to take down Draco Malfoy.

And I was the cause of it all.

I looked down at my neck and saw no time turner in sight. I couldn't let this happen. What did this even mean? How far could this even go? The rivalry was enough- but an official declaration would be ludicrous. The outcomes it could ruin peoples lives because I knew once this started it wouldn't be childish games we'd be playing. I lost all concept of sadness and before I knew I had done it I had walked downstairs to a room full of angry Gryffindors.

They were yelling for revenge.

Authors Note: I'm back. I feel so bad after leaving you guys hanging for so long but I worked pretty hard on writing and revising this chapter and hope you like it. All the Tristina questions have been answered here, hopefully, and there were a lot of you who even figured it out. Another Draco/ Hermione fight, those are always fun. Hoped you enjoyed it and I'll try to get the next chapter up this century. I love you my faithful reviewers, you guys are still out there right, you make it all worth it. Remember REVIEW!!! 


	23. Chapter 22

Chapter 22: One Last Question

I sat glaring at my half eaten oatmeal and toast waiting for the silence to end. My eyes unable to focus on anything else of significance as I glanced up at the Gryffindor table only to see Granger with her head down again, I glared at her lack of eye contact mentally challenging her to look up. I was disappointed however as she continued looking down at her plate as I had been doing mere seconds before and finally I looked away. I hadn't had any contact with Granger since our argument three days ago, I hadn't had contact with anyone really.

It had been silence for two days straight. Not absolute silence, Hogwarts was a school full of kids chattering away insistently not having a care in the world for the three Slytherins who had become mute.

This self-induced silence was more difficult than it sounds. To the point that I had contemplated on being the first to break it but one look at Pansy and Blaise and my mouth shut itself of its on accord. Our fellow Slytherins made no comment as to why the well-known Slytherin Trio had become mute. They could easily deduce that the silence was of a vengeful sort.

You see I refused to talk to Blaise Zabini as he had molested my sister in the library of all places, in public for my arch-nemesis, surprising not Harry Potter, to see. Pansy was not talking to me after hearing of my absolute and total humiliation of the only girl that could tolerate being around her, Hermione Granger, yes Granger, she will forever hold a mud blood's status in my mind after her little performance. Blaise on the other hand has never truly been the talkative type especially in the passing weeks and now that no one is nudging his communication skills forward, Blaise was as useless as Crabbe and Goyle.

I threw the toast into my mouth and stood up, and low and behold Daphne Greengrass broke the silence, "Where are you off to Malfoy?" I gave her an exasperated look, she had been keeping tabs on me for the past few days and I was pretty sure I knew why.

"The library, Greengrass, the place with all the books."

"I know what a library is, Malfoy."

Pansy looked up, "Your going to the library." I was almost certain that Pansy's lack of words had somehow caused her brain damage.

"Obviously." Blaise and Pansy traded looks. It seemed while the silence had ensued they had conveniently picked up Occlumency.

"You never go to the library." Goyle murmured between bites of a blueberry muffin, "Never."

I gave him an exasperated look before answering, " The only reason you think I don't go the library is because you haven't picked up a book since first year." Goyle turned back to his muffin not bothering to look insulted, " Unfortunately as Head Boy, I unlike you have a title to uphold which just happens to include the use of the printed word."

Blaise scoffed and I gave him an incredulous look, "Malfoy, cut the shit, the only reason your going to the bloody library is to see if you can corner Hermione." I saw Pansy smirk behind her juice.

"That's what you think then, guess you are denser than I thought." With those words I took my leave going exactly where I said I would if not just to prove my point.

"Denial is sad to see." Pansy called after me.

It seemed that silence was the lesser of two evils. I decided to ignore the idiotic comment and exited the Great Hall only to see my two least favorite people meandering on in front of me. I watched closely as they entered the library and against my better instincts followed them inside.

They took a seat in the farthest corners of the library obviously not spotting me from the of yells and glares I wasn't getting. I picked up random books in the bookshelves near their table and soon enough like I knew it would my name came up in the conversation.

"Can you believe what an oblivious wanker Malfoy is? Hermione has been fooling him all year long and it took him this long to finally tell her to move on, _after_ she broke it off with him! I mean it's not like Hermione is a good liar or anything. I mean he fell for it so hard _he thought she was in love with him. LOVE, Harry._" Weasley pronounced and I instantly felt my face redden slightly, they were talking about how pathetic I was. I felt my hands clench at my side.

"You know exactly why she did it: for the Order, for her parents, for us. Hermione might not be a good liar but she'd do anything to protect her family. Including pretending to love," he cleared his throat here, "Malfoy."

"I still think she wouldn't have been able to do it without Dumbledore. The moment she got on the train she knew exactly what she had to do. As always Dumbledore was the one with the master plan. I mean Hermione's smart but when it comes to making a guy fall in love with her….well let's just say me and her aren't together, eh?"

My eyes burned a hole into Weasley's head as I glared at the two Gryffindors and before I knew it I had walked angrily over to their table, wand in hand, and pointed it at his stupid freckled face, "What the fuck, Weasley?"

Potter blanched upon seeing me, "How long have you been here, Malfoy?"

"Long enough, Potter." My voice was eerily calm as I pointed my wand between them and I was surprised to see Weasley give me a wide smile.

"Give it up Harry, he has a right to know." he turned toward me not looking the lest bit scared of the wand pointed at his face, "Alright, Malfoy you figured it out. Hermione never loved you, never will love you, and probably still hates you actually."

"Ron." Potter protested weakly but Weasley just waved him off.

"The Order needed to make sure you weren't a dangerous death eater and Hermione was there for the job. I mean it didn't take long to fake the betrothal and some memory charms on your parents done easily by Dumbledore. It was easy. It wasn't personal but these days we gotta take precautions." His voice sounded amused to the point of cheerfulness and I knew that he was enjoying my reaction to each word that came out of his mouth.

I silently put my wand back in my pocket and I saw Weasley give Potter that look that supposedly conveys what a coward I was for not cursing his freckles off. I, of course, didn't want to give him the wrong impression.

I crossed to the other side of the table and grabbed Weasley by his robes slinging him onto the floor, "So what did Granger say, Weasley, did she tell you what a dangerous death eater I am?"

Weasley looked up at me his face red with surprise and rage and I felt Potter's wand up against my neck before Weasley could sputter out a response, "Get off of him, Malfoy." I shoved Weasley back against the floor and gave Potter a seemingly friendly smile, friendly to anyone unwilling to take a second glance.

"Sorry, Potter, didn't want to hurt your boyfriend." Potter just glared at me as I headed out of the library hearing Weasley shouting obscenities after me but knowing that he would never try to raise his wand for fear he would end up on the floor again.

Which he would but with warts this time.

Suddenly all I could think of was finding Hermione. Finding her and cursing her to the innermost depths of Azkaban. Who the hell did she think she was, using _me_, Draco Malfoy? I clenched my hands at my side as I re-entered the Great Hall. She was no where in sight but I had stood there smoldering long enough to attract the attention of Blaise and Pansy.

"What's wrong, Draco?" she asked her voice suddenly worried, she never used that voice with me, it was unnerving to hear. But I was in no mood to explain and just exited the Great Hall again headed towards the Gryffindor dormitories. Pansy and Blaise rushed to keep up with me, Pansy cursing the heels that she had decided to wear today. By the time we reached the door I realized I had forgotten the password.

I cursed under my breath only to hear Blaise murmur the password and I was brought momentarily out of my rage to give him a look of surprise. But before I could question him, I was overtaken with the thought of Hermione's lying face and before I knew it the first year Gryffindors were staring scared into my enraged face.

"Where the fuck is Granger?" I asked in a low and dangerous tone and without a second thought the first years all pointed upwards into the girls dormitories.

Before Pansy and Blaise could decide whether or not to follow me I had walked up into the dormitories, my hands clenching at my sides, only to see Granger asleep on her bed. Her head lolling to the side.

I stalled for a second before grabbing my wand and spelling her awake, not wanting to actually have to physically touch her. I'd demeaned myself doing that too many times already.

She opened her eyes blearily and upon seeing me standing in her dormitory she narrowed her eyes, "How the hell did you get in here, Malfoy?' she growled her voice low and still heavy from sleep.

"I'm Head Boy, Granger, I can go anywhere." I shot back my tone dripping with disdain as she sat up, her hair frazzled as it obscured her face.

Granger eyed me angrily, her hand inching towards her wand in the process, and I made no move to stop her. If it came to that , the least I could do was be fair, she already had a disadvantage of being a disgusting muggleborn.

The silence continued as I glared at Granger trying to comprehend how she could have fooled me so fully and then, I exploded.

"Who the bloody hell do you think you are, Granger?" I started off my voice already reaching its peak, "Obviously you must think very highly of yourself to take on the job of trying to slander the name of Malfoy."

"What the bloody hell are you talking about, Malfoy, ' she interrupted me rudely, "I mean I thought this whole thing between us was over. You made that pretty clear. Is this some sick game of yours to torment me?" She slapped her hand angrily against the mattress.

"If only, if only, Granger." I answered my voice cooling as the logical side of my mind took over, the part not spurned by the emotional injustice Hermione Granger had committed, "But I'm referring to the fact that you're a lying, conniving, heart-less _bitch_." My eyes gleamed as I saw her gasp at the unveiled insult.

"Draco Malfoy who the hell do you think you are to call me heartless-"

"You agree that you're a conniving liar then?" I asked cruelly.

"Shut up!" she screamed her voice edged with oncoming tears, "I've put up with a lot of crap from you over the years, Draco Malfoy. I've put up with you insulting my family, my friends, my appearance, but never once have you ever insulted my morals if only to say I had too much of them." Her eyes hardened as she stared into mine and I gave out a brash laugh.

"Of course, who am I to accuse the almighty bookworm of being morally corrupt?" I asked the sarcasm heavy in my voice, "Of course, you can do no wrong. Except for the fact that you've been using me from the moment I saw you on the train. Except for the fact that our whole arranged marriage was ARRANGED in itself. Except for the fact that every kind word, every amusing comment, every tantalizing touch was all bullshit. The only reason you were with me was for your precious Order and of course your precious Potter!"

"What-"

"For all your morals you sure know how to screw a guy over." I seethed my eyes glaring, "I mean I might be considered a cold-hearted bastard but I have never in my whole existence _ever _pretended to love someone just to make sure they weren't a-what was the world Weasley used- 'dangerous death eater'?"

She stared at me mouth agape as I stepped closer to her, our faces almost touching, "The sad thing is, Granger..." my eyes narrowed in our hers and I heard her breath quicken at our close proximity, "Now you know what your missing." Then I kissed her.

I grabbed her face in my hand, as she let out of a breath of surprise, and unable to push me away, as I had already grasped her arms with my other free hand, I enveloped her lips in a full kiss long and hard. Her hands made no move to push me away now as I let go. Instead she quietly sighed and I pulled away as a smirk formed on my lips.

"You needed to know what you were missing." Before she could make a response or issue an explanation of her own I had walked out of the room. I exited the commons with Pansy and Blaise staring at me in confusion as they followed me, not knowing what I had done in that room, but knowing that it hadn't been good.

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I went a whole month without even looking at Hermione Granger, without speaking to her, or staring into her enraged eyes. After leaving her dormitory I had made sure that I wouldn't need to, asking Professor Snape if I could work alone on all Potions projects for the rest of the year. In the Great Hall I made sure not to even glance in the direction of the Gryffindor tables and during the hours I wasn't studying or in class I made sure I was surrounded by Pansy and Blaise who although they didn't agree with my decision to ignore my ex-fiancée made sure that I was never in the same room with her.

It worked for a whole month, longer than I had anticipated. The first time I talked to Hermione Granger was in our one class we shared together: Potions. I had become absent minded in the passing days for although I had kept her out of my sight I hadn't been able to keep her out of my mind. I hadn't been unable to stop her face from popping up in my thoughts as I wondered why so many days had gone by without her confronting me, denying that she had used me for the Order. Not only that but why she had stopped associating with Potter and Weasley, the whole school was abuzz with the fact that the Golden Trio had broken up once more. This time for good, the rumors promised.

It was a hard day for the advanced Potions class. Snape was in a particularly foul mood and I couldn't get my potion to turn the right shade of purple so realizing that scurvy-grass might brighten the color I had gone to the cabinet to get it, once I had turned around it was too late. Her body was blocking my only passage back to my desk and her eyes looked scared as she stared at my hopefully vacant expression. I stopped myself from saying anything crude and waited for her to move aside but it seemed that she had lost the use of her limbs.

I stared waiting for her to do something, say anything. She finally dropped her eyes to the ground and spoke, "That's not the right ingredient. Your potion isn't turning violet because you forgot to stir it counter-clockwise before you dropped in the sneezewort."

I put the ingredient back on the shelf and realizing that Granger was staring at me helplessly still I answered, "You would know." It was meant to hold a bit of sarcasm but the words were flat and came out as more of a fact than anything else. She nodded once and then I walked around her finally.

Despite the fact that she had told me exactly how to fix my potion it ended up turning blue when I dropped a dried nettle that had been left over from last period's class along with my lovage. Snape made no comment when I turned mine in instead deciding to yell at Neville for his having spilled all over the floor. Once class was over I exited the classroom hurriedly, not looking back again for fear that I might meet Granger eyes again.

When I relayed the meeting to Pansy and Blaise they both shook their heads at my lack of effort to talk to the Gryffindor again, "She used me." I reminded them again as Pansy traded glances with Blaise.

"I don't believe that." was her only answer as it had been the moment she had found out what Potthead and Weaslebee had told me in the library. The mere fact that they had been the ones to tell me had convinced her that it was false. The doubt that they had been lying entered my mind and stayed there for the next two months until the time when Pansy took it upon herself to end my new obsession: avoiding Granger.

It was March by this time, the seasons getting warmer and the school year looming closer to its June ending when none of us would be able to call ourselves Hogwarts students any longer. Pansy had cornered Ginny Weasley in the girls lavatory and forced her to tell her every last detail about exactly what Hermione had been doing agreeing to marry Draco Malfoy?

She hadn't been able to go to Hermione herself as the Gryffindor had been unwilling to speak to her, something that had been made clear a mere week after my accusation in the Gryffindor dorms. Granger had decided it would be for the best not to associate herself with anything that might in the end lead to "slander the name of Malfoy" she had quoted me, in only a slightly mocking way Pansy had assured me.

Of course Pansy came back with sunshine and rainbows radiating off of her. She interrupted me during Herbology just to tell me that "Weasley and Potter were lying wankers" and the whole reason that Granger had stopped talking to them was because they had lied to me. Yet still with the verification that Granger in fact hadn't been lying to me and the knowledge that our engagement had been real, I still couldn't bring myself to apologize or even look at her again.

The night I found out I flew around the Quidditch pitch until morning and had to take a Transfiguration exam which I obviously failed right after breakfast. It seemed that I had ran out of excuses to continue hating her besides the obvious reason of being too stubborn to stop. She might have not been a perfect fiancée and she could be infuriatingly annoying at times but still somehow during the time I had come to know Hermione D'jore, as I realized I now had to call her, I had grown a conscience one that was constantly reminding me that we had both wronged each other and it was time to make amends.

But I didn't, make amends I mean. I sat holed up in my room any time that I wasn't in my classes. Holed up and isolated as every time Pansy and Blaise came around they tried to convince me to go and talk to her, as if it was that simple. Which to them it really was.

But of course seeing as I shared a room with Blaise it was hard to ignore his constant pleas to see reason, like tonight for example. While I was trying to feign sleep he was babbling, "Malfoy, Malfoy." he muttered as he always did when he thought I was being an idiot, "don't you realize she's going to move on soon. She's not going to be waiting for her ex-fiancée forever, it's been months, MONTHS for Merlin's sake. Where is the old Malfoy who said he wasn't afraid of anything?"

I turned around in my bed to face him, an annoyed expression undoubtedly on my face, "I'm not afraid." I countered, "I just don't see the point. We didn't want to marry each other and now we don't have to, so why should I go talk to her for. We hated each other before and I think its best if we just-"

"Avoid each other like the plague."

I glared, "It would never work out between us, you know that. We're two extremely different people-she's a Gryffindor and I'm a Slytherin that mere fact would doom our marriage, or friendship, any relationship really."

"Malfoy." I rolled over, my back to him again, "Malfoy!" he pronounced louder this time meaning he was not going to let the subject drop easily.

I again turned to glare at him but stopped as my eyes met his which were vacant and focused on the poster on the wall, "You have a girl you really, _really_ like. Don't deny it, I mean when have you ever deemed it necessary to tell a girl she was pathetic when you break up with her, you used to not even tell the girls you slept with it was over-you would just kick them out of your room. You actually tried with Hermione and it worked."

"I tried because that is what my family expected of me."

"They didn't expect you to propose." Blaise replied, "Or punch her ex-boyfriend or actually fall for her. You should have seen your face when you realized that the weeding was called off, when the ring fell out of that letter-you didn't look relieved, Draco."

I tried to block out his words but he kept going, "Just because she's a Gryffindor doesn't mean you love her any less…just be grateful there's nothing stopping you from being able to grab her and kiss her." here he stopped and took a breath, "Just be glad she doesn't have some boyfriend who treats her like crap but all you can do is tell her that she should be with you. Be glad for that at least."

Somehow this had went from trying to convince me to sweep Hermione off her feet to something completely different.

"Blaise. What I have- had-with Hermione is nothing like-"

"Your right." Blaise interrupted, "Because you still have a chance with her, Malfoy. And you better not be stupid enough to pass up that chance."

I stared at him blankly and he glared at my lack of emotion,

"Like I said she's not going to wait forever." Then he left the dormitory, going Merlin knows where seeing as it was ten o' clock at night. But that's just how Blaise was, he didn't care if there was no where to go as long as he was by himself he could stand in the rain all night as long as he didn't have to deal with people.

Of course, I didn't go to Hermione and envelop her in my arms and declare how I still wanted to marry her despite the lack of binding spells. I didn't go up to her the next day asking to talk, I didn't ask her if maybe she still had feelings for me.

I asked her for a quill. I sat next to her in Potions and I asked for a quill. Which in my opinion, is the same as declaring my undying love but from the glares I was getting from Pansy signaled that it did not mean the same thing to other people.

At first, she didn't realize it was me who asked for the quill so she just rummaged in her bag and didn't even look up to see who she was giving it to. So I sat down and started to write down the ingredients not bothering to point out that I was sitting next to her, making an _effort_.

She noticed eventually half-way through class when she finally took her eyes off her potion and looked up to see the progress of her fellow less intelligent classmates. She noticed and she grimaced. How did I notice this, well I was constantly aware of her every moment thanks to my peripheral vision. So when I realized she might not be happy for me to be sitting there, I did the logical thing. I moved down a chair.

"Didn't want to intrude upon your personal space." I muttered sarcastically. She looked at me, not like the way she had last time looking vulnerable and scared, but she looked at me like she thought I was a complete and total wanker for sitting next to her and she told me as much.

"Malfoy, not that I mind in the least where you chose to sit, but I was just wondering why you suddenly decided that it's not painful to sit next to me."

"Painful?" I asked surprised, first at the amount of words that had come out of her mouth and second what those words actually where.

"I know you aren't ignore me because you don't like me. You hated me for six years remember, but you never ignored me."

I grappled with a response, "Blaise told me to." I finally muttered deciding to blame it on the dimwit whose bright idea it was to try to be nice to a Gryffindor.

"Right." she replied adding another ingredient to her potion, "And you always listen to him." I sensed the sarcasm and my temper was increasing at each word that came out of her pursed lips.

"What's your problem?" I finally asked throwing in my own ingredients.

She turned to fully face me and when I looked into her face I was no longer doubtful that this was a bad idea, "My problem?" those two words showed the pent up anger she had obviously been holding in these past few months, "Other than the fact that you accused me of basically being a prostitute."

"Prostitutes sleep with their clients." I shot back annoyed, "I never actually got what I paid for if that was the case."

"Malfoy, _don't_ talk to me."

We were suddenly back to square one. Hating each other. It was as if the school year hadn't happened. I looked down at my potion recalling Blaise's words and wondering if she had stopped waiting sooner than I had expected.

"Hermione?"

She didn't bother looking up instead opting to stare vacantly into the swirling liquid that was her potion, "Look I'm.." sorry? I couldn't seem to be able to let that word to pass my lips no matter how much I wanted to, "tired of fighting. I think we should, if you wanted, try to put the past behind us and be-"

"Friends." she interrupted sharply still staring intently at her potion, "Just friends." this time said slower and more thoughtful.

She looked up then, her eyes staring straight into mine before she asked me one last question, "That would be…possible. But only if you answer me this" she paused and I could just see the question in her eyes before she said it, "Why did you kiss me, Draco?"

The bell rang then and I stood up abruptly stalling for time as I walked to the front of the class and by the time that I went back to my seat, she was gone.

IM BACK! Yay-no yay? I'm again sorry I took so long but I am finally done with this chapter. It took me awhile to get it going but I finally finished. I love all you guys who love my story and tell me to update. LOVE YOU. But I'm again sorry that I don't update faster but I finally had time this winter break-if only school didn't exist. Please review, even if its just to say I suck ass or to say something someone else already said-I love my reviewers. I'll try to get the next chapter up soon but don't want to make any disappointing promises. Again, love you all. But most of all I love Amy Cardoza for helping along the writing process...if i don't put that she gets really ticked off for some reason. :


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